1. Grammar Skills Workshop
Prepared by
Graham Associates
copyright © 2001

2. Parts of Speech Nouns name persons, places, or things.
Verbs show action or existence.
Pronouns serve as noun substitutes.
Adjectives describe nouns and pronouns.
Adverbs describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
Conjunctions join words or groups of words.
Prepositions form phrases with nouns and pronouns.

3. Sentence Structure
Complete sentences have a subject and verb, and express a complete thought.
Fragments are incomplete sentences.
Run-ons are complete thoughts joined together without correct punctuation.
Comma splices are run-on sentences with a comma between the complete thoughts.
Word
Phrase
Clause -- (Subject, Verb, Object) Dependent and Independent
Simple Sentence (Subject, Verb, Object)
Note: A simple sentence can have a compound subject or a compound predicate.
Compound Sentence = Simple + Simple
Complex Sentence = Dependent clause + Simple (or) Simple +Dependent clause
Compound-Complex Sentence = Simple + Compound (or) Compound + Simple (or) Compound + Compound

4. Independent and Dependent Clauses
An independent clause is a group of words that express a complete thought.
Coordinating conjunctions include and, but, or, nor, for.
A dependent clause is a group of words with a subject and verb that doesn’t express a complete thought.
Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, because, unless, when, while.

5. Types of Pronouns Subjective ( I ) and objective ( me )
Compound ( myself )
Possessive ( my, mine )
Collective ( its, their )
Indefinite ( everyone, something )

6. Verbs -- Terms Tense = time of the action
Agreement = subject and verb relate same number
Conditional = contrary to reality ( If I were )

7. Adjectives and Adverbs -- Terms
Definite and Indefinite articles = the, a, an
Double negative = two negative words to express one negative idea

8. Use the Apostrophe With possessive nouns add ’s to singular names
add ’ only to plural nouns ending in s
add ’s to plural nouns not ending in s
In contractions
add ’ where the letters are omitted
With plurals of numbers and words
add ’s

9. Use the Comma Between the items in a series of three or more
Between two or more adjectives when and is omitted but understood
Between two independent thought joined by and, but, or, nor, for
After an introductory clause
To set off a parenthetical expression
To set off states, dates, and abbreviations with names

10. Other Punctuation Marks
Use the Semicolon
To join two complete thought not joined by and, but, or, nor, for
Between the items in a series when the items have internal commas
Use the Colon
After a complete thought when a single word, a listing, or a second complete thought follows

11. Use the Dash To set off an abrupt interruption with a sentence
To set off a parenthetical expression that contains commas
After a series that comes before a complete thought

12. Use the Hyphen To spell certain words ( twenty-one )
To join two or more words as a compound adjective
To divide words at the end of a line

13. Common Sentence Faults
Fragments, run-ons, and comma splices
Dangling and misplaced modifiers
Non-parallel construction
Overuse of passive (indirect) verbs

14. Punctuation Basics Period Sentence . Sentence
Colon Sentence : word, phrase, series, sentence
Semicolon Sentence ; sentence
Comma Dependent clause , sentence
Series a, b, and c
Parenthetical, such as an example, phrase or clause

15. English Verbs SIMPLIFY Voice -- Use active voice. RESULT Clarity
Tense -- Use present and past tense.
Mood -- Use imperative and indicative mood.
RESULT
Clarity
Shorter, simple sentences

16. Prepositions
-- a word that links a noun or pronoun (the object) to another part of the sentence
Many of the 72 English prepositions are synonyms of each other: beneath, under, below
SIMPLIFY by cutting prepositions.
Direction: to, into, onto, across, toward
Location: at, in, under, over, around, below, beside, beneath, against
Time: before, after, during, until, since
Possession: of, with, for
Use concrete and specific verbs to avoid idioms associated with phrasal verbs.

17. Possession English shows possession three ways:
possessive case ‘s , his, her, its . . .
Preposition of, for, by
Adjective system design
Learn proper punctuation for the apostrophe ‘.
Remember it’s is the contraction for it is.
The only possessive pronouns that use an apostrophe are --one’s and --body’s.

18. Obsolete Rules In modern usage you may
end a sentence with a preposition
begin a sentence with because
show possession for inanimate objects
Many people still use some grammar and punctuation rules that predate World War I.
Old rules die hard --
Certain disciplines, such as Law, rely heavily on precedents and old texts.
Also, some of us had teachers who were 150 years old.