CommasCommas

Use commas to separate Use commas to separate items in a items in a seriesseries.. Ex: There were books on the deskEx: There were books on the desk,,

posters on the wallsposters on the walls,, and clothing on the and clothing on the floor.floor.

Ex: Dinner included a tossed saladEx: Dinner included a tossed salad,, spaghetti and meatballsspaghetti and meatballs,, garlic bread garlic bread,, and soda.and soda.

CommasCommas

Use a comma before a Use a comma before a FANBOYSFANBOYS when they join two independent when they join two independent clauses.clauses. Ex: We did not know whether to stayEx: We did not know whether to stay,, forfor

the weather forecast had predicted rain.the weather forecast had predicted rain. Ex: The police searched everywhereEx: The police searched everywhere,, butbut

there were no fingerprints.there were no fingerprints.

CommasCommas

Use commas to set off Use commas to set off introductory introductory elementselements..

Introductory wordsIntroductory words such as such as wellwell, , yesyes, , and and whywhy.. Ex: Ex: WellWell, what do you think?, what do you think? Ex: Ex: YesYes, you are welcome to join us., you are welcome to join us.

CommasCommas Use a comma after an introductory Use a comma after an introductory

participial phraseparticipial phrase and most other and most other participial phrases (not gerund participial phrases (not gerund phrases).phrases). Ex: Ex: Laughing like a child,Laughing like a child, he opened the he opened the

present.present. Ex: The linebackerEx: The linebacker, seeing his opening,, seeing his opening,

sacked the quarterback.sacked the quarterback. Ex: Cleaning and painting my room was Ex: Cleaning and painting my room was

hard work. [gerund]hard work. [gerund]

CommasCommas

Use a comma after introductory Use a comma after introductory subordinate clausessubordinate clauses.. Ex: Ex: When they finished eating dinnerWhen they finished eating dinner, ,

they played basketball until dark.they played basketball until dark. Use a comma after most introductory Use a comma after most introductory

prepositional phrasesprepositional phrases.. Ex: Ex: After a lengthy discussionAfter a lengthy discussion, we voted , we voted

on the proposal.on the proposal.

CommasCommas

Words used in Words used in direct addressdirect address are set are set off by commas.off by commas. Ex: Ex: JoeJoe, please see me about your , please see me about your

grade.grade. AppositivesAppositives and and appositive phrasesappositive phrases

are set off by commas.are set off by commas. Ex: An interview with Florence Cohen, Ex: An interview with Florence Cohen,

thethe noted landscape artistnoted landscape artist, will appear , will appear Sunday in Sunday in The SunThe Sun, , our local paperour local paper..

CommasCommas Use commas to separate Use commas to separate datesdates and and

addressesaddresses.. Ex: Hawaii achieved statehood on Ex: Hawaii achieved statehood on

August 21, 1959, becoming the fiftieth August 21, 1959, becoming the fiftieth state.state.

CommasCommas

Words used in Words used in direct addressdirect address are set are set off by commas.off by commas. Ex: Ex: JoeJoe, please see me about your , please see me about your

grade.grade. AppositivesAppositives and and appositive phrasesappositive phrases

are set off by commas.are set off by commas. Ex: An interview with Florence Cohen, Ex: An interview with Florence Cohen,

thethe noted landscape artistnoted landscape artist, will appear , will appear Sunday in Sunday in The SunThe Sun, , our local paperour local paper..

SemicolonSemicolon Use a semicolon between Use a semicolon between independent independent

clauses clauses not joinednot joined by a FANBOYS by a FANBOYS. . Ex: Read all the choicesEx: Read all the choices; ; don’t write the don’t write the

first answer that seems correct.first answer that seems correct. Use a semicolon between Use a semicolon between independent independent

clausesclauses joined by words such as joined by words such as for for exampleexample, , moreovermoreover, , neverthelessnevertheless, , thereforetherefore, , howeverhowever, etc (W660), etc (W660) Ex: We saw no solution to the problemEx: We saw no solution to the problem;;

however,however, we refused to surrender. we refused to surrender.

SemicolonSemicolon

A semicolon may be needed A semicolon may be needed between between independent clausesindependent clauses joined by a joined by a coordinate conjunction (FANBOYS) coordinate conjunction (FANBOYS) when the clauses contain commaswhen the clauses contain commas.. Ex: After we ate dinner, we played Ex: After we ate dinner, we played

basketball until darkbasketball until dark;; butbut we continued we continued the game at a nearby rec center, the the game at a nearby rec center, the YMCA.YMCA.

SemicolonSemicolon

Use a semicolon Use a semicolon between items in a between items in a series if the items contain commasseries if the items contain commas.. Ex: The winners in the election were Ex: The winners in the election were

John Smith, presidentJohn Smith, president;; Sue Jones, vice Sue Jones, vice presidentpresident;; and Steve Brown, treasurer. and Steve Brown, treasurer.

Quotation MarksQuotation Marks Use quotation marks to enclose a Use quotation marks to enclose a

directdirect quotequote – a person’s exact words. – a person’s exact words. Ex: My dad saidEx: My dad said,, “M“My favorite actor is John y favorite actor is John

WayneWayne.”.” Ex: “Take careEx: “Take care,,” he warned” he warned,, “ “tthat you hat you

don’t spill anything.” don’t spill anything.” Ex: He saidEx: He said,, “My favorite movie is “My favorite movie is ‘‘The The

GodfatherGodfather.’”.’” [Note: commas and periods are always [Note: commas and periods are always

placed inside the closing quotations]placed inside the closing quotations]

Quotation MarksQuotation Marks

Question marks and exclamation Question marks and exclamation points are placed inside the points are placed inside the quotation marks quotation marks if the quotation if the quotation itself is a question or exclamation.itself is a question or exclamation. Ex: “Is everyone presentEx: “Is everyone present?” ?” asked the asked the

teacher.teacher. Ex: Were you surprised when he said, Ex: Were you surprised when he said,

“You win“You win”?”? [not …win [not …win.”?.”?]]

Possessive CasePossessive Case

Nouns that take apostrophes may Nouns that take apostrophes may be classified as either be classified as either regularregular or or irregularirregular..

Possessive CasePossessive Case

A A regularregular, , singularsingular noun does not end noun does not end with an with an ss..

To make it To make it possessivepossessive, add an , add an apostrophe sapostrophe s.. Ex: (boy) boy’sEx: (boy) boy’s Ex: (house) house’sEx: (house) house’s

Possessive CasePossessive Case

A A regularregular, , pluralplural noun ends in with an noun ends in with an ss..

To form the To form the possessive possessive case, add case, add onlyonly an an apostropheapostrophe.. Ex: (boys) boys’Ex: (boys) boys’ Ex: (houses) houses’Ex: (houses) houses’

Possessive CasePossessive Case

AnAn irregular irregular, , singularsingular nouns ends in nouns ends in ss..

The use of punctuation to create the The use of punctuation to create the possessive case depends on the possessive case depends on the word’s length.word’s length.

Possessive CasePossessive Case

An An irregularirregular, , singularsingular noun with noun with oneone syllable, add syllable, add apostrophe sapostrophe s.. Ex: (bus) bus’sEx: (bus) bus’s

In In irregularirregular, , singularsingular noun with noun with twotwo syllables, add syllables, add apostropheapostrophe or or apostrophe sapostrophe s. (either form is correct).. (either form is correct). Ex: (Jesus) Jesus’ or Jesus’sEx: (Jesus) Jesus’ or Jesus’s

Possessive CasePossessive Case

An An irregularirregular, , singularsingular noun with noun with threethree oror moremore syllables, add syllables, add onlyonly an an apostropheapostrophe.. Ex: (hippopotamus) hippopotamus’Ex: (hippopotamus) hippopotamus’

Possessive CasePossessive Case

An An irregularirregular, , pluralplural noun does not noun does not end in end in ss..

To form the To form the possessivepossessive case, add an case, add an apostrophe sapostrophe s.. Ex: (children) children’sEx: (children) children’s Ex: (women) women’sEx: (women) women’s

Common writing errorsCommon writing errors

Because every preposition requires Because every preposition requires an object, clauses should not end with an object, clauses should not end with a preposition.a preposition. Ex: I forget Ex: I forget whowho I gave my book I gave my book toto. .

(incorrect)(incorrect) Ex: I forget Ex: I forget to whomto whom I gave my book. I gave my book.

(correct)(correct)

Common writing errorsCommon writing errors

Misplaced modifiers – place phrase and Misplaced modifiers – place phrase and clause modifiers as near as possible to clause modifiers as near as possible to the words they modify.the words they modify. Ex: I bought a new computer for our family, Ex: I bought a new computer for our family,

which gave everyone troublewhich gave everyone trouble. (confusing). (confusing) Ex: I bought our family a new computer, Ex: I bought our family a new computer,

which gave everyone troublewhich gave everyone trouble. (clear). (clear) Ex: We formed a dodge ball team Ex: We formed a dodge ball team

composed of freshmen named “The Gutter composed of freshmen named “The Gutter Balls.” (???)Balls.” (???)

Common writing errorsCommon writing errors Dangling Modifiers:Dangling Modifiers: A modifying phrase must clearly and A modifying phrase must clearly and

sensibly modify a word in a sentence. sensibly modify a word in a sentence. When there is no word that the When there is no word that the

phrase or clause can sensibly modify, phrase or clause can sensibly modify, the modifier is said to “dangle.”the modifier is said to “dangle.”

Common writing errorsCommon writing errors Ex: Carrying a pile of heavy books, her Ex: Carrying a pile of heavy books, her

foot caught on the step. [foot caught on the step. [her foot was her foot was carrying bookscarrying books?]?]

Ex: Carrying a pile of heavy books, Ex: Carrying a pile of heavy books, sheshe caught her foot on the step.caught her foot on the step.

Ex: Ex: While she wasWhile she was carrying a pile of heavy carrying a pile of heavy books, she caught her foot on the step.books, she caught her foot on the step.

Common writing errorsCommon writing errors

Two-way Modifiers – placing a modifier Two-way Modifiers – placing a modifier in such a way that it may be taken to in such a way that it may be taken to modify modify two wordstwo words.. Ex: Mark said Ex: Mark said during the meetingduring the meeting that Joe that Joe

acted like a fool. [does the phrase modify acted like a fool. [does the phrase modify saidsaid or or actedacted?]?]

Ex: Ex: During the meetingDuring the meeting, Mark said that Joe , Mark said that Joe acted like a fool.acted like a fool.

Ex: Mark said that Joe acted like a fool Ex: Mark said that Joe acted like a fool during the meetingduring the meeting..

Common writing errorsCommon writing errors

Use of Correlative Conjunctions:Use of Correlative Conjunctions: Correlative conjunctions Correlative conjunctions mustmust always always

be used be used in pairsin pairs.. either … oreither … or not only … but alsonot only … but also neither … norneither … nor whether … orwhether … or both … andboth … and

Common writing errorsCommon writing errors Ex: Ex: NeitherNeither Jack Jack nornor Eric received Eric received

parts in the play.parts in the play. Ex: Ex: Not onlyNot only was he late for school, was he late for school,

butbut he he alsoalso received a jug. received a jug. Ex: Ex: BothBoth Dad Dad andand I gave blood at the I gave blood at the

Red Cross.Red Cross.