2. PUNCTUATION: COMMAS, SEMICOLONS,
PERIODS
Some rules for commas:
Use commas to set off introductory sentence parts.
Use commas to set off explaining phrases.
Use commas to separate items in a series.
Use commas to separate items in dates and addresses.
3. PRACTICE WITH COMMAS
1) After grazing under the hot sun the cows returned to the
barn.
2) Ben ordered his favorite lunch a cheeseburger with
coleslaw and fries.
3) Seeking to better my future I have applied to college.
4) During vacation I enjoyed relaxing with family and friends.
5) Gail enjoys swimming writing poetry and listening to music.
4. KEYS TO USING SEMICOLONS
THE MAIN USE OF THE SEMICOLON: SEPARATION OF TWO
SENTENCES OR INDEPENDENT CLAUSES WITH RELATED
CONTENT
NOTE: A PERIOD MAY BE USED INSTEAD OF A SEMICOLON .
5. RULES FOR SEMICOLONS
1) Use a semicolon after a short sentence to separate it from a
second and related one. i.e. We don’t have to wait too long;
he is usually on time.
2) Use a semicolon after a sentence to separate it from a
subsequent one beginning with a word such as: however,
moreover, thus, therefore, then, accordingly, instead,
consequently, and nevertheless. i.e. I would like to visit
you; however, I need to study for a quiz.
6. RULES FOR PERIODS
1) Use periods at the end of sentences or statements.
2) Use periods at the end of sentences which make a request.
PRACTCE: Try your skills with commas, semicolons and periods
Today is unusually warm
Please leave the bowl of fruit on the kitchen table
I plan to purchase some thread needles paper patterns and cloth to
make a coat
When you visit I will arrange for us to tour many interesting sights in
Hartford
Soon Spring will come then lilacs forsythia and tulips will bloom
Fran a very motivated talented student has excelled in her English
courses at Capital
7. SUBJECTS AND VERBS
Verbs need to agree with subjects.
If a subject is singular, the verb must be
singular.
If a subject is plural, the verb must be
plural.
Sometimes, finding the right verb form
for a subject is challenging , but
practice helps!
8. PRACTICE WITH SUBJECTS AND VERBS
PLEASE CIRCLE THE CORRECT VERB IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING
SENTENCES.
1) When Jennie (joke,jokes), her friends (laugh,
laughs)
2) The sky ( appear, appears) dark, but I do not
(think, thinks) there will be rain.
3) The little girl (look, looks) pretty in her pink
and white dress.
4) Tom and Phil (enjoy, enjoys) boating during
the summer.
5) Aerobics (is, are) good for building strong
bones.
9. PRACTICE WITH SUBJECTS AND VERBS
PLEASE CIRCLE THE CORRECT VERB IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING
SENTENCES.
1) There (is, are) many choices at the bakery.
2) Neither Manny nor his friends (want, wants)
to attend the party.
3) Lucy, along with her sisters, (plays, play)
volleyball.
4) Here (is, are) the books they wanted to read.
5) Everyone (wishes, wish) to be successful.
10. RULES FOR SUBJECTS SUCH AS FRACTIONS
1) Fractions and words such as all, none, and
some will be singular if they refer to a bulk
or total number.
2) Fractions, none, and some will be plural if
they refer to individuals.
3) EXAMPLES:
4) Three-fourths of the roof is painted.
5) A majority of the members are here.
6) None of the food remains.
7) Some of the students are waiting outside.
(Adapted from: Handbook of English, Harry
Shaw and Virginia Schaffer, McGraw
11. SOME KEYS TO THE 4 MAJOR VERB TENSES
Present: refers to actions happening now
Past: refers to an event/action which occurred
before the present
Present Participle: refers to an ongoing action
Past Perfect Tense: refers to an event/action
which occurred prior to one in the past
12. EXAMPLES OF 4 MAJOR VERB TENSES
PRESENT: I enjoy listening to all types of music.
PAST: We elected class officers last week.
PRESENT PARTICIPLE: I have been looking for my notebook.
(NOTE use of ing and a helping verb, such as have, am, is,
and are.)
PAST PEFRECT : He recalled that he had forgotten to buy his
friend a birthday card.
13. PRACTICE WITH VERB TENSES
Please fill in the blanks with the correct form
of the verb.
1) Talk : I am ----------- on the phone.
2) Bake: When I was a child, I----------- cookies with my
mother.
3) Leak : During January, 2011, our roof------------.
4) Transfer : Some students are-----------to Central
Connecticut State University soon.
5) Select: We enjoyed the fruit which we-----------------
yesterday.
14. TEST YOUR SKILLS!
Please read the following sentences and see if you are able to spot
and correct the errors.
1) We were load some furniture onto a truck.
2) We nearly slip on the ice while we were skating.
3) I finish my homework when a friend of mine came by unexpectedly to
visit.
4) The story is about a child who grew up in Spain. Then, when she was
a teenager, she moves to the United States.
5) We have live in Hartford for twelve years.
6) When Sarah visited her grandmother, she notice she had using a
computer.
7) Sarah talked about her grandmother to Sam and he was impress.
8) I am find grammar tricky at times!
15. FRAGMENTS…WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM?
What is a fragment?
A phrase
A dependent clause
A group of words without a subject, verb, and
the expression of a complete thought
16. EXAMPLES OF FRAGMENTS
On the sidewalk
When I skated on the ice
Many candidates who want to serve
as our next President
17. PRACTICE CHANGING FRAGMENTS TO
SENTENCES
1)While learning
to ski
2) If I were in
high school now
3) Running
through the field
4) Listening to
music
1) The tall
buildings in the
city
2) Hesitant to
begin college
3) When I was
on a diet
4) Jim and Joe
English 101
18. EFFECTIVE WRITING WWW.COLLEGEBOARD.COM
Sequence of
tenses
After he broke his
arm, he is home for
two weeks.
After he broke his arm,
he was home for two
weeks.
Shift of
pronoun
If one is tense, they
should try to relax.
If one is tense, one
should try to relax.
Parallelism
She skis, plays tennis,
and flying hang
gliders.
She skis, plays tennis,
and flies hang gliders.
Noun
agreement
Carmen and Sarah
want to be a pilot.
Carmen and Sarah
want to be pilots.
Pronoun
reference
Several people
wanted the job, and
he or she filled out
the required
applications.
Several people wanted
the job, and they filled
out the required
applications.
Subject-verb
agreement
There is eight people
on the shore.
There are eight people
on the shore.
19. MORE EXAMPLES OF EFFECTIVE WRITING
Ambiguous and
vague pronouns
In the newspaper they say that few
people voted.
The newspaper reported that few
people voted.
Diction
He circumvented the globe on his
trip.
He circumnavigated the globe on
his trip.
Wordiness
There are many problems in the
contemporary world in which we
live.
There are many problems in the
contemporary world.
Improper
modification
If your car is parked here while
not eating in the restaurant, it will
be towed away.
If you park here and do not eat in
the restaurant, your car will be
towed away
20. FINAL EXAMPLES FROM COLLEGE BOARD SITE
Writing Problem
Sentence
Illustrating the
Problem
Should be...
Pronoun case
He sat between you
and I at the stadium.
He sat between you
and me at the
stadium.
Idiom
Natalie had a different
opinion for her.
Natalie had a different
opinion of her.
Comparison of
modifiers
Of the sixteen
executives, Naomi
makes more money.
Of the sixteen
executives, Naomi
makes the most
money.
Sentence fragment
Fred having to go
home early.
Fred has to go home
early.
Comma splice
Mary took time out of
her busy schedule to
visit her aunt, John
decided to continue
working through the
summer.
Mary took time out of
her busy schedule to
visit her aunt, but
John decided to
continue working
through the summer
