1. Beginning a sentence without a capital (or failing to capitalize “I”)

2. A complete sentence expresses a complete thought
Sentence fragments
A complete sentence expresses
a complete thought

3. Are these groups of words sentences?

4. Although Rachel worked hard on her paper
My student editor Derrick

5. They aren’t sentences because they aren’t complete thoughts.

6. What happened although Rachel worked hard?
What about my student editor Derrick?

7. What’s wrong with the following “sentence”?

8. Jesse loves to write poetry he’s a talented writer.

9. The sentence is wrong because “Jesse likes to write poetry” and “He’s a talented writer” can both stand as complete sentences. Therefore, we can’t merge them into a single sentence without separating them in some way.

10. It’s a “run-on sentence
It’s a “run-on sentence.” It’s not good enough to join the two thoughts with a comma. That’s called a “comma splice”:
Jesse stopped at the grocery store, he needed a lunch for the field trip tomorrow.

11. If you have two independent clauses, they need to be separated by something more powerful than a comma.

12. Dependent clauses cannot stand alone as sentences:
Although I was on time for work
Because Alice was the first one in line
Independent clauses can stand alone as sentences:
Gary did want the sandwich
My brother, Greg, was late for the meeting

13. There are 5 ways to fix run-on sentences

14. Make the two clauses into two sentences:
Wrong
Right
Brandon played drums in the band it was a hard rock band.
Brandon played drums in the band. It was a hard rock band.

15. Use a semi-colon
Wrong
Right
Craig accepted Lisa’s gift it was nice.
Craig accepted Lisa’s gift; it was nice.

16. It was snowing we forgot to bring our coats.
Use a comma and a coordinating conjuction (and, but, or, for, yet, nor, or so):
Wrong
Right
It was snowing we forgot to bring our coats.
It was snowing, but we forgot to bring our coats.

17. Use a comma and a subordinating conjunction (after, although, before, unless, as, because, even though, if, since, until, when, while, etc.)
Wrong
Right
Jessica and Waylon like pizza Allison doesn’t.
Though Jessica and Waylon like pizza, Allison doesn’t.

18. Use a semi-colon and a transition (however, moreover, on the other hand, nevertheless, instead, also, consquently, otherwise, as a result, etc.)
Wrong
Right
I thought the colors would go together well I was mistaken.
I thought the colors would go together well; however, I was mistaken.

19. Habit, if not resisted, soon becomes necessity.
St . Augustine

20. The apostrophe has four main uses:
To show the omission of numbers in such expressions as Christmas '98 or letters in expressions that imitate certain patterns of speech — finger lickin' good.
To form contractions (I'm, we've, can't, they'll).
To form plurals of single numbers and letters: 'Mary brought home a report card with two A's and two B's.‘
4. To form possessives (It’s Joe’s dog, not mine.)

21. Quotation Marks and Other Punctuation
There are three basic rules.
All commas and periods should be placed inside the quotation marks.
All colons and semicolons should be placed outside the quotation marks.
Question marks and exclamation marks should be placed within the quotation marks when they apply only to the quoted material; they should be placed outside when the entire sentence, including the quoted material, is a question or exclamation.

22. Then or Than?
Than is used to indicate comparison or degree. Example: His drive was longer than mine.
Then is used to indicate time. Example: Then he putted out and won the tournament.

23. We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.
John Dryden

24. Example: "She hit the shot, and he cheered for her."
Commas?
Put a comma before and, but, for, or, nor, so, and yet when they connect two independent clauses (sentences that can stand alone).
Example: "She hit the shot, and he cheered for her."

25. Separate three or more items in a series with a comma.
Example: "We want to protect cats, dogs, and horses."
Put a comma after an introductory word group.
Example: "Because I was hungry, I bought a hamburger."
Set off interrupters with pairs of commas, pairs of parentheses, or pairs of dashes. Examples:  "The hamburger, hot and juicy, tasted great."                    "The hamburger — which was hot and juicy — tasted great."                    "The hamburger (made from ground beef and tofu) tasted great."

26. Put commas around the name of a person or group spoken to.
Example: "I hope, Carlene, that you're going with me."
Put commas around an expression that interrupts the flow of the sentence.
Example: "We took our fishing rods, therefore, and got into the boat."

27. Laziness grows on people; it begins in cobwebs and ends in iron chains.
Thomas Buxton

28. Capitalization
Rule 1.Capitalize the first word of a quoted sentence.
Examples:He said, "Treat her as you would your own daughter.""Look out!" she screamed. "You almost ran into my child."
Rule 2. Capitalize a proper noun.
Example:Golden Gate Bridge
Rule 3.Capitalize a person's title when it precedes the name. Do not capitalize when the title is acting as a description following the name.
Examples:Chairperson Petrov 

29. Rule 6.Capitalize any title when used as a direct address.
Rule 4.Capitalize the person's title when it follows the name on the address or signature line.
Example:Sincerely,
Ms. Haines, Chairperson
Rule 5.Capitalize the titles of high-ranking government officials when used before their names. Do not capitalize the civil title if it is used instead of the name.
Examples:The president will address Congress. 
All senators are expected to attend. 
The governors, lieutenant governors, and attorneys general called for a special task force. 
Governor Fortinbrass, Lieutenant Governor Poppins, Attorney General Dalloway, and Senators James and Twain will attend.
Rule 6.Capitalize any title when used as a direct address.
Example:Will you take my temperature, Doctor?

30. Rule 8.Always capitalize the first and last words of titles of publications regardless of their parts of speech. Capitalize other words within titles, including the short verb forms Is, Are, and Be.
Exception:Do not capitalize little words within titles such as a, an, the, but, as, if, and, or, nor, or prepositions, regardless of their length.
Examples:The Day of the Jackal  
What Color Is Your Parachute?  
A Tale of Two Cities

31. Rule 11. Do not capitalize names of seasons
Rule 11.Do not capitalize names of seasons. But do capitalize days of the week and months.
Example:I love autumn colors and spring flowers.

32. Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired.
Mortimer Caplan