The Comma
• Use a comma when you have 2 complete
thoughts joined by a conjunction (and, or, but,
for)
Caffeine can keep coffee drinkers alert, and
it may elevate their mood.
• Use a comma to set off phrases attached to
complete thoughts:
With a powerful thud, the book fell to the
floor.
Subordinate clauses
• An incomplete thought such as
– Although the storm was over
– Because she liked movies
– Since he was tired
– Even if it was cold
– Rather than eating out
If a Main Clause (complete thought) is attached,
use a comma to separate them.
– Although the storm was over, the dog was still
afraid.
– Because she liked movies, the she stayed at the
theater for 8 hours.
– Since he was tired, he went straight to bed.
– Even though it was cold, they refused to take
their jackets.
Use a comma…
• To set off nonessential elements:
The company, which is located in Maine, has a
good reputation.
• To separate items in a series:
I went to the store to buy eggs, milk, and pie.
• Between 2 or more adjectives modifying the
same word: She has a sleek, shiny car.
1. Actors actresses and filmmakers greatly influence the lives
of many people.
2. Bette Davis a famous and talented actress was the first
woman to receive the Life Achievement Award.
3. Meryl Streep is known for her great acting ability and she
is labeled as one of the finest in her craft.
4. Several actors even though successful in college leave
school to act.
5. Many actors pursue directing producing and scriptwriting.
6. Because many actors influence each other they are all
considered significant.
The Semicolon ;
• A semicolon should be used when you have
two main clauses (complete thoughts) joined
together. A comma is too weak and is called
a comma splice.
The shipment of computers was delayed; the
customers were angry.
1. Mary was strongly discouraged to practice
gymnastics however, she won several awards for her abilities.
2. People who eat candy may become overweight people who
eat vegetables may perhaps remain thin.
3. All the trees were conifers therefore, they were cone-bearing
evergreens.
4. Mark Twain attached the preceding notice to Huckleberry Finn
he felt that too much analysis of art made it less enjoyable.
5. Many artists live and work in Dallas, Texas Orlando, Florida
and Hollywood, California.
6. We must remember that art is not a form of advertising it is a
form of truth.
The Colon :
Colons should be used in the following situations:
1. When making lists
USE A COLON TO INTRODUCE A LIST,
ESPECIALLY AFTER A STATEMENT THAT
USES SUCH WORDS AS THESE, THE
FOLLOWING, OR AS FOLLOWS.
To make a good sandwich, you need the following
ingredients: peanut butter, jelly, and bread.
Note that your introductory statement is a complete sentence
2. To introduce material that explains or
restates the preceding material
You can see how cold the winters are in
Alaska: On a windy morning your breath
freezes into ice crystals in front of your face.
3.
To introduce a long or formal quotation
Lincoln began the Gettysburg Address with these famous words: “Four score and
seven years ago....”
1. There are three animals which make good pets cats, dogs, and
fish.
2. Among the natural rights of the colonists are these a right to life, a
right to liberty, and a right to property.
3. Poet Karl Shapiro and composer Aaron Copland have something in
common. Each won a Pulitzer Prize.
4. Dorothy Parker asked to have this engraved on her tombstone
“Excuse my dust.”
Parallel Structure
When making a list of words or phrases, you need
equal emphasis of each.
Words Example: The room is bright, spacious, and
comfortable.
Phrases Example: Buckling his boots and tightening
his skis, John was ready to fly down the mountain.
Parallel Structure--corrections
1. The new employee was lazy, disrespectful, and
came in late to work often.
2. Going home is better than to stay here.
3. I would choose reading a book over a television
show.
4. The coach tells me that I bat well but catching is
a problem.
5. The old tennis shoes were dirty, laceless, and
smelled really bad.
Basic Parts of Speech Quick Review
•Noun: Person, place, thing, idea
Florida is known for tourism, sunshine, and fun.
•Pronoun: noun shortcuts
The governor made his speech and it was long.
•Verb: Action or state of being
The speech lasted until noon. It was inspiring.
• Adjective: Modifies a noun (beautiful,
windy)
Yes, the long speech was inspiring.
• Adverb: Modifies a verb, adjective or other
adverb
The governor moved very quickly from the
podium and gracefully entered the building.
IDENTIFY THE NOUNS, PRONOUNS, VERBS,
ADJECTIVES, AND ADVERBS IN EACH SENTENCE.
Very old eagles fly with their young.
The excited toddler quickly opened her present.
The hungry dog ate its bone greedily.
PREPOSITIONS
A PREPOSITION is a word that shows the relationship
of a noun or pronoun to another word. It usually tells
where or when.
EXAMPLE: The squirrel ran (to, up, on,
down, over, toward, under) the tree.
A prepositional phrase includes a
preposition, the object of the
preposition, & any modifiers of that
object.
Over the river and through the woods to
Grandmother’s house we go.
I left my shoes on the staircase in the
attic.
Locate the Prepositional phrases.
1 She found her jacket in the closet.
2. Painted on one wall was an enormous
picture.
3. Over the doorway, the picture reached
above the second story.
4. It showed an eighteenth-century man
in a white shirt.
5. A local artist, who lives by the river,
painted the portrait.
PRONOUN AGREEMENT
Make sure plural pronouns
have plural referents and
singular pronouns have
singular referents.
• Roommates should share their cleaning
responsibilities.
• A roommate should share his or her cleaning
responsibilities.
ANTECEDENT: The word or group of words to
which a pronoun refers or replaces.
The Senate passed its first bill of the year.
Colleen’s friends gave up their free time.
Make sure the antecedent of a pronoun is
clearly stated:
VAGUE: The people who lost their dogs
stayed in their yards hoping they would
return.
Watch out for switching points of view!
Faulty: If a student is late, you must get an
office pass.
Improved: If a student is late, he or she must
get an office pass.
Indefinite pronouns (anybody, anyone, each, either,
everybody, everyone, everything, neither, none, no one,
someone, something). Even though some of these seem to
have plural meaning, treat them as singular.
Faulty: When someone has been drinking, they will
usually speed.
Improved: When someone has been drinking, he or
she will usually speed.
Faulty: In class, each gives their best effort.
Improved: In class, each gives his or her best effort.
1. Would anyone like to have (their / his or her) dessert
outside?
2. If someone asks for me, send (them / him or her) to my
home.
3. A roommate should share ( their / his or her) food.
4. In class, each gives ( their / his or her ) best effort.
5. Mark and Kim ate ( their / his or her) pizza.
6. The teachers gave ( his or her / their) exams on the
same days.
7. Everyone should take ( his or her / their ) time getting to
school.
Subject - Verb Agreement
A SUBJECT (noun or pronoun doing the
action) must agree in number with its verb.
Singular subjects take on singular verbs
Example: Shakespeare was a talented poet.
Plural subjects take plural verbs.
Example: His poems are read by millions of
people
Cover up any interrupting phrases.
This book of poems is very special to me.
1. The city of Buenos Aires (is, are) the capital of
Argentina.
2. Almost nine million citizens who love the cultural
amosphere (lives, live) in the city.
3. The lovely flowers in the vase (need, needs)
watering.
4. The historic building named Feast of Flowers
(stands, stand) there.
6. Facts and a good photograph (teach,
teaches) us about disasters.
7. In science class, my friends and I (is, are)
reading about disasters.
8. Each day either Mr. Simms or students
(present, presents) information on a
disaster.
9. A tornado and a tidal wave (is, are) classified
as natural disasters.
10.Earthquakes and floods (fall, falls) into the
same category.
Indefinite Pronouns: refer to a person, place, thing,
or idea that may or may not be specifically named.
Singular: Anybody, anyone, anything, each, either,
neither, everybody, everyone, everything,
someone,
Plural:
both, few, many, several
Depends on sentence: all, many, more, most,
none, some
Example:
Most of the job was finished.
Most of the jobs were finished.
1. Neither of the candidates (has, have)
run for office before.
2. Most of the soup (was, were) gone.
3. None of the athletes (was, were) tired
after the tournament.
4. A few of the volunteers for the job
(was, were) selected.
5. (Have, Has) all of the cheese been
eaten?
Misplaced Modifiers
• Modifiers - words that describe or change
the meaning of another word. Modifiers
should point clearly to the words they modify:
• Put limiting modifiers (only, even) in front of
the words they modify:
EX: I couldn’t even touch my toes.
Our team scored only once.

Place phrases so that readers can see what
they modify:
Incorrect:
The robber was a six-foot tall
man with a heavy mustache
weighing 150 pounds.

Avoid lengthy detours between subject, verb,
and direct object.
Incorrect: Many students have, by the time
they reach their senior year, completed all the
graduation requirements.
• The old woman bumped into a bench walking
her dog.
• The girls fled from the house noticeably
upset.
• Oranges have a better flavor that come from
California.
• Grandma called the police scared by the
strange noise.
• Bill wants a hamburger and coffee cooked
well done.
Dangling Modifiers
• A dangling modifier fails to refer logically to
any word in the sentence. They are usually
phrases that suggest but do not name an
actor.
Upon seeing the barricade, our car screeched
to a halt.
To fix a dangling modifier, name the actor or
turn the modifier into a group of words that
name the actor.
Faulty:
Upon entering the doctor’s office, a skeleton
caught my attention.
Improved:
As I entered the doctor’s office,
a skeleton caught my attention.
• Turning the corner, a beautiful sunset
could be seen.
• Closing the car trunk, her keys had been
misplaced.
• Announcing the winners, Bob spoke in a
hushed voice.
Avoid lengthy phrases when one
word will be enough
• In this day an age, students must work harder
to be successful.
• The man was killed suddenly; he was shot
dead in the chest.
Avoid unclear references
• Some men prefer a hot sports car than their
wives.
• Does this mean men prefer cars over their
wives -- OR -- Does this mean men prefer the
cars, but women don’t?
• Correction: Some men prefer a hot sports car
more than they do their wives.