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Questions and Answers
Why is it important to know about grammar, usage, and punctuation?
Why is it important to know about grammar, usage, and punctuation?
What does the word 'ain't' illustrate?
What does the word 'ain't' illustrate?
What is true about usage rules?
What is true about usage rules?
Why is it important to use apostrophes correctly in some writing situations?
Why is it important to use apostrophes correctly in some writing situations?
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What is the primary function of an apostrophe in grammar?
What is the primary function of an apostrophe in grammar?
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What is the 'of' test used for?
What is the 'of' test used for?
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When is an apostrophe not needed?
When is an apostrophe not needed?
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What should you do if you're unsure about using an apostrophe?
What should you do if you're unsure about using an apostrophe?
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To make plural nouns that end in s possessive, add 's.
To make plural nouns that end in s possessive, add 's.
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Plural nouns that do not end in s do not need an apostrophe to make them possessive.
Plural nouns that do not end in s do not need an apostrophe to make them possessive.
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Adding an apostrophe to a plural noun always makes it possessive.
Adding an apostrophe to a plural noun always makes it possessive.
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What is an independent clause?
What is an independent clause?
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When combining two independent clauses, what must you do?
When combining two independent clauses, what must you do?
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What is the result of combining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction?
What is the result of combining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction?
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What is the purpose of using a comma after introductory words or phrases?
What is the purpose of using a comma after introductory words or phrases?
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Where should you place a comma when using subordinating conjunctions in a sentence?
Where should you place a comma when using subordinating conjunctions in a sentence?
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What happens when a subordinating conjunction appears at the end of a sentence?
What happens when a subordinating conjunction appears at the end of a sentence?
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What is the purpose of using commas in a sentence?
What is the purpose of using commas in a sentence?
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How can you determine if adjectives are coordinate?
How can you determine if adjectives are coordinate?
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Why should you not use commas to separate essential words or phrases?
Why should you not use commas to separate essential words or phrases?
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The hyphen is used to create an em dash.
The hyphen is used to create an em dash.
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The em dash is smaller than the hyphen.
The em dash is smaller than the hyphen.
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An em dash is used to separate words like mother-in-law.
An em dash is used to separate words like mother-in-law.
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Most word processing programs will turn two hyphens in a row into an em dash.
Most word processing programs will turn two hyphens in a row into an em dash.
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Study Notes
Importance of Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation
- Grammar, usage, and punctuation are essential to master for effective formal speaking and writing.
- Native speakers of English often take grammar for granted, but it's still important to learn and understand the conventions and rules for correctness.
Language Development
- Children develop language skills at a young age, understanding what is necessary for language to make sense.
- However, formal speaking and writing require knowledge of specific rules and conventions.
Correctness and Usage
- Correctness goes beyond basic grammar rules and involves knowing cultural conventions and rules for language use.
- Usage rules are more numerous and complex than grammar rules and require practice to master.
- Correctness is relative to a particular situation, and usage rules are constantly changing.
Benefits of Grammar Essentials
- Grammar Essentials provides a comprehensive overview of punctuation, grammar, and usage, covering common errors and areas of struggle for students.
- This resource is helpful for both native and non-native English speakers looking to improve their language skills.
- The materials are presented in an engaging and humorous way to make learning grammar and punctuation more enjoyable.
The Importance of Apostrophes
- Apostrophes are often neglected in informal writing, such as text messaging, but they are crucial in formal writing situations.
- Academics debate whether text messaging will lead to the decline of proper apostrophe use.
The Evolution of Language
- According to Rob Jenkins (2012), one of his professors predicted that punctuation marks, including the apostrophe, may eventually cease to exist as language evolves.
- Despite this prediction, the apostrophe remains an essential part of proper punctuation.
The Purpose of Apostrophes
- The following pages provide guidance on the correct use of apostrophes in writing.
Using Apostrophes to Show Possession
- The apostrophe is used to show possession or ownership, not to make words plural.
- To determine if an apostrophe is needed, use the "of" test: reword the sentence and substitute the apostrophe with "of".
- If the sentence does not make sense with "of", an apostrophe is not needed.
- Adding an apostrophe to make a word plural is incorrect usage.
- Example of incorrect usage: "the planned of the students" does not make sense and should not include an apostrophe.
Correct Apostrophe Usage
- An apostrophe is only used when showing ownership or possession.
Possessive Plural Nouns
- Plural nouns that do not end in 's' become possessive by adding 's.
- Plural nouns that end in 's' become possessive by adding only '.
- The addition of 's' or ' to plural nouns can be confusing due to the similarity with forming plural nouns.
Coordinating Conjunctions
- An independent clause is a complete thought or sentence with a subject and a verb.
- Coordinating conjunctions combine two equal elements, including two complete sentences.
- There are seven coordinating conjunctions in American English, often referred to as FANBOYS.
- FANBOYS is a mnemonic device to help remember the seven coordinating conjunctions.
- Coordinating conjunctions can connect various words and phrases.
- When used to connect independent clauses, a comma must be placed before the coordinating conjunction.
Emotional Responses to Sports
- A person refused to discuss a specific Super Bowl game for two years due to their favorite team's loss.
- This behavior demonstrates an intense emotional attachment to the team's outcome.
Emergency Preparedness
- A family has stockpiled food in their basement, indicating a level of preparedness for potential emergencies.
- However, it is uncertain whether their stored food supply would be sufficient to sustain them during a hypothetical zombie apocalypse.
Commas and Subordinating Conjunctions
- Use commas after introductory words or phrases that begin a sentence.
- Subordinating conjunctions connect dependent clauses (incomplete thoughts) to independent clauses.
- When a subordinating conjunction starts a sentence, it signals an introductory phrase, and a comma is needed at the end of that subordinate phrase.
Common Subordinating Conjunctions
- The following are some of the most common subordinating conjunctions:
- because
- although
- after
- while
- since
Comma Placement
- Introductory phrases at the beginning of a sentence require a comma at the end of the phrase.
- When these phrases appear at the end of a sentence, they are not set off by commas.
- Exception: Use a comma in cases of strong contrast, as with the word although.
Using Commas in Sentences
- Use commas to set off words or phrases that are not essential to the meaning of a sentence.
- The trick to determine if a word or phrase is essential is to remove it and see if the sentence's meaning is affected; if not, it's non-essential and should be set off with commas.
Identifying Non-Essential Information
- A common mistake is to think that if a sentence is still complete after removing a word or phrase, you need commas around it.
- Instead, think about how the sentence's meaning would be affected if you removed the word or phrase.
Coordinate Adjectives
- Use commas to separate coordinate adjectives describing the same noun.
- Coordinate adjectives are "equal" in importance and can be read in reverse order or with "and" between them.
- To determine if adjectives are coordinate, try reading the sentence with the adjectives in reverse order or with "and" between them; if it still makes sense, they're coordinate and need a comma between them.
Understanding Hyphens and Em Dashes
- A hyphen is a small punctuation mark used to connect words, such as in "mother-in-law".
- An em dash is a longer punctuation mark used in writing, often to indicate a break in thought or to set off a parenthetical remark.
- To create an em dash using a word processor, type two hyphens in a row, and then press the space bar after the word following the dash.
- Alternatively, an em dash can be created by using the keyboard shortcut Alt + 0151 on a Windows device.
- On a Mac, an em dash can be created by selecting Option, Shift, and the hyphen key (‐).
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Description
Test your knowledge of grammar, usage, and punctuation in this essential quiz. Learn why grammar is important and how it affects our language skills.
