Preparation for the TAKS Test:
Revising and Editing
But I Stink at Grammar!
Grammar Review
 Commas
 Capitalizations
 Run-ons and Fragments
 Apostrophes
 Spelling
 Misplaced modifiers
Commas
 Use commas:
- to separate dates, cities and states,
person addressed in dialogue, introductory
words
- before a coordinating conjunction
(FANBOYS)
- series of words or phrases
- a direct quotation
- introductory phrase in a sentence
- appositives, nonessential phrases
“Gotta keep ‘em separated!”
The president lives at 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington
D. C.
May 3, 1992, is her birth date.
Whatever, I don’t really care!
FANBOYS
(For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
You need to take out the garbage before
you go to your friend’s house and,
Sam, don’t forget to take the cans to
the street since tomorrow is
Wednesday, trash day!
“They keep going and going…”
Her chores at home include washing the
dishes, making the bed, and walking
the dog.
Her favorite colors are blue, orange, and
yellow.
He hates veggies, dogs, and sports.
“What he said!”
Bob asked, “Is Sue home?”
The girl shouted across the room, “Does
anyone have a pencil I can borrow?”
The bus driver whispered under his
breath, “Only 14 more stops.”
“I’m proud to introduce…”
Because she is my friend, I asked her
first.
With no expectations and only hope in
her heart, she gave her valentine to
him.
With hands in pockets, he walked away.
“That was not necessary”
My friend, Sally Sue, is always
interrupting.
The little boy, Georgie Porgie, is bad.
The teacher, with lots of papers to
grade, is teaching the class.
Capitalization
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Proper Names
Titles (first, middle important words, last)
First word of sentence
Direction as a location
ALL CAPS
The young lady, Sandra, and her
boyfriend, Brett, set out on a trip to
the South to visit her favorite
author’s home town and the same
location as her favorite story New
Orleans.
Run-ons and Fragments
 Run-on sentence
 a sentence that continues without any
defined breaks using a comma and
conjunction or ending punctuation
 Fragment
 a part of a sentence lacking either the
subject or a verb
“Stop that run-on!”
Rewrite the following sentence.
The teacher stood up to walk to the
front of the room and a student
placed his bag where the teacher was
to stand and the teacher tripped on
the bag and fell on her face and the
class laughed and the boy felt silly.
“Hmmm…it needs something.”
Add to the fragment to make it a
complete sentence:
Which was found on the floor.
When it was near the end of the day.
As the students were packing to leave.
Apostrophes
 To show possession
 Contractions
 To add ‘s’ to numbers or letters
“That’s mine!”
Make the following scenarios into
possessions
1. The dog belongs to Brenda.
2. That homework belongs to Jim.
3. That IPOD belongs to Mr. Foust since
you brought it to school.
“Should a, Could a, Would a”
Make the following words into contractions:
1. Should have
2. Could have
3. Would have
4. Did not
5. Will not
6. Is not
7. Could not
8. Have not
“I love the 80’s!”
Answer the following questions using ‘s:
1. What is your favorite decade?
2. What grade do you hate making?
3. What letters of the alphabet do you
despise?
Spelling
YOU CANNOT USE THE DICTIONARY
ON THE TEST!
YOU WILL HAVE TO GUESS ON
SPELLING IF YOU ARE NOT SURE.
Commonly Wrong
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Accept, except
Effect, affect
Principle, principal
Then, than
Receive, deceive
Conscious, conscience
Write, right
There, their, they’re
To, too, two
Misplaced Modifiers
 Putting the descriptive phrase in the
wrong place.
 How to check:
 Ask yourself – “Who is being described?”
“Now that’s just crazy!”
Correct the sentences below to make
sense.
1. Running into the room, the
typewriter fell over.
2. The lady got on the bus wearing a
red dress.
3. Blown across the room by the fan,
we picked up the papers.
Wait! It’s not just grammar!
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Sentence combining
Transitions
Adding sentences for clarification
Rearranging sentences
Who and Whom
Good and Well
Sentence Combining
 Combine the following sentences:
 The robber was masked.
 The robber carried a loaded gun and a
black bag.
 The clerk stared at the robber.
 The robber shouted, “Everyone down!
Now!”
Transitions
 Why use transitions?
 To make sentences or paragraphs make a
smoother change from one idea to another
or to continue an idea over to another
 How do I know which to use?
 The purpose of the sentence: opposition,
clarifying, explanation, example, additional
information
 List all of the transition words that
you know.
Needed: Clarification
Write a sentence or sentences to clarify
the situation.
The teacher sat down with the student. A
look of disappoint was on her face.
She couldn’t believe it was happening.
The teacher took a tissue. The paper
was nothing like she expected.
Movers: $20 an hour
Rearrange the sentences for clarity.
The girl sat on the couch. She was hungry.
She made herself a sandwich. She had
forgotten to eat lunch because she was
so busy with her little brother. She also
got a drink and chips. Her favorite show
was on television. She wiped her mouth
in satisfaction.
Who or Whom?
 Who – the subject of a sentence.
 Who is standing at the door?
 Whom – the object of the preposition (if you
can add to or from in front of who then it
should be whom)
 To whom do I give the gift?
 Who or whom?
 ______ may I say is calling?
 ______ are you calling?
Good and Well
 Good – an adjective
 Well – an adverb
 The boy/girl said, “You look good!”
 Ms. Robinson said that I did well on
my paper.
 I did ____ on my exam.
 I will do ____ on the TAKS test.