Elementary Rules of Usage #1-11 ELA 11

#1 Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding ‘s My child’s teacher The lawyer’s fee The dog’s ball EXCEPTIONS: If the ending already ends in “s” add an s’ to the ending. If you are talking about something belonging to a group or whole of something add an s’ Examples: Lucas’ birthday party The babies’ rash The boys’ club The trucks’ wheels

#2 In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. EXAMPLES: Red, white, and blue He opened the letter, read it, and made a note of its contents. Stop at the store and buy sour cream, cheese, and salsa.

#3 ENCLOSE PARENTHETICAL EXPRESSIONS BETWEEN COMMAS. A parenthetical expression is an expression which is inserted into the flow of thought. It may be in the middle of a sentence or between sentences, but it does not deal directly with the topic at hand. My brother, you will be pleased to hear, is now in perfect health,. The audience, which had at first been indifferent, became more and more interested.

If, Sir, you refuse, I cannot predict what will happen. A name or a title in direct address is parenthetic. If, Sir, you refuse, I cannot predict what will happen. Well, Susan, this is a fine mess you are in. The abbreviations etc., i.e., and e.g., the abbreviations for academic degrees, and titles that follow a name are parenthetic and should be punctuated accordingly. Letters, packages, etc., should go here. Horace Fulsome, Ph.D., presided. Rachel Simonds, Attorney The Reverend Harry Lang, S.J.

#4 Place a comma before a conjunction #4 Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause. Example: The early records of the city have disappeared, and the story of its first years can no longer be reconstructed. I have heard the arguments, but I am still unconvinced.

Practice: I have a math test tomorrow so I am going to study tonight. It is cold today yet he is still wearing shorts. Today, we are reading a short story and we are working on vocabulary.

#5 Do not join independent clauses with a comma IF two or more clauses grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction are to form a single compound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon. Examples: Mary Shelley’s works are entertaining; they are full of engaging ideas! It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark. Note: It is equally correct to write each of these sentences as two sentences using a period.

#5 Do not join independent clauses with a comma cont. If the second clause is preceded by an adverb, such as accordingly, besides, then, therefore, thus, and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still required. Examples: I have never been in that place before; besides, it was a dark tomb. I paid attention to the first part of the movie; however, I fell asleep for the rest of it.

Rule #5 practice I went to the grocery store I forgot to buy milk. He put a great deal of effort into the project therefore he earned a good grade. I bought my mom a present it was her birthday.

#6 Do not break sentences in two. Periods are not the same as commas. Do not use them as such. Examples: I met them on a Cunard liner many years ago. Coming home from Liverpool to New York. She was an interesting talker. A woman who had traveled all over the world and lived in half a dozen countries. In both of these examples, the first period should be replaced by a comma.

#6 Practice: We decided to return home early. And walked the rest of the way. Though the journey was long and tiring. It was worth the trouble. I was talking to my mom about school. When my brother walked in.

Rule #7: Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation. A colon tells the reader that what follows is closely related to the preceding clause. It usually follows an independent clause and should not separate a verb from its complement or a preposition from its object. Incorrect: Your dedicated whittler requires: a knife, a piece of wood, and a back porch. Correct: Your dedicated whittler requires three props: a knife, a piece of wood, and a back porch.

Examples: When you come to class tomorrow, please bring your pencil, paper, book, and folder. When you come to class tomorrow, please bring the following items: pencil, paper, book, and folder. Practice: I have these three classes in the morning English math and history. For Halloween, we will need to buy candy decorations and costumes. The Puritans demonstrated many admirable qualities determination selflessness and resourcefulness.

#7 Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation. When an independent clause introduces an appositive (a word or words that rename a noun or pronoun), a colon can be used before the appositive Example: Never overlook the most important rule: never argue with the boss. I know the perfect job for her: a politician Her goal was easily stated: the state championship.

#7 Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation. When a second independent clause explains or summarizes the first independent clause, a colon can be used to separate them. Examples: We had to cancel the party: too many people were sick. I know the answer: reverse the two equations. Let me emphasize one point: I do not accept late papers.

#7 Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce a list of particulars, an appositive, an amplification, or an illustrative quotation. When an independent clause introduces a quotation, a colon can be used before the quotation.   Examples: The little boy in E.T. did say something neat:  “How do you explain school to a higher intelligence?” Mae West had one golden rule for handling men: “Tell the pretty ones they’re smart, and tell the smart ones they’re pretty.”  

Practical Calligraphy: An Introduction to Italic Script Nehemiah 11:7 Use a colon to follow the salutation of a formal letter, to separate hour from minute in a notation of time, and to separate the title of a work from its subtitle or a Bible chapter from a verse. Examples: Dear Mr. Montague: departs at 10:48 P.M Practical Calligraphy: An Introduction to Italic Script Nehemiah 11:7

#7 Practice - Colons Jeremy demonstrated his maturity he chose not to yell at his mom. I want you to tell me one thing the truth. My favorite cake is made of: carrots, flour, butter, eggs, and cream cheese icing. The teacher concluded with this statement “Anyone caught cheating will fail my class.” By the end of her first date with Bill, Julie was positive of one thing there would never be a second.

#8 Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or interruption and to announce a long appositive or summary. A dash is a mark of separation stronger than a comma, less formal than a colon, and more relaxed than parentheses. Examples: His first thought on getting out of bed – if he had any thought at all – was to get back in again. The rear axle began to make noise – a grinding, chattering, teeth-gritting rasp.

#9 The number of the subject determines the number of the verb. Use a singular verb form after each, either, everyone, everybody, neither, nobody, someone. Examples: Everybody thinks he has an unique sense of humor. Although both clocks strike cheerfully, neither keeps good time.

#10 Use the proper case of pronoun.

#11 a participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence must refer to the grammatical subject. In other words, the participial phrase must be the one describing the noun… A participle phrase will begin with a present or past participle. If the participle is present, it will dependably end in ing. Likewise, a regular past participle will end in a consistent ed Example: Walking slowly down the road, he saw a woman accompanied by two children. The word walking refers to the subject of the sentence, not to the woman. Participial phrases preceded by a conjunction or by a preposition, nouns in apposition, adjectives, and adjective phrases come under the same rule if they begin a sentence. Examples: On arriving in Chicago, his friends met him at the station. On arriving in Chicago, he was met at the station by his friends. Young and inexperienced, the task seemed easy to me. Young and inexperienced, I thought the task easy.