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Grammar / Style Guide

*The Elements of Grammar. Margaret Shertzer
*Grammar and Composition Handbook. Glencoe, McGraw Hill © 2000
Rules for using Commas
1. To separate two independent clauses when a coordinating conjunction is used:
Independent clause , CC  Independent clause
Coordinating conjunction = and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet
Independent Clause = subject + verb + complete thought
Ex. I like watching my brother play basketball, but I also like football.
Incorrect. I like watching my brother play basketball, and football.

2. To separate words and phrases in a series:
Ex. When the electricity fails, there's no elevator, no light, no television, none of the amenities.
      My favorite classes are English, math, art, and computers.
Present usage advocates the use of the comma between and connecting the last two words of a series; some writers, however, prefer to omit the comma before and.  

3. Between two or more adjectives preceding a noun:
Ex.  The tasty, nutritious meals were distributed on the field trip.
        The tall, quick quarterback raced toward the end zone.
        I asked my mother if she would make the gooey, scrumptious, chocolate cookies
                 for me and my friends.

4. To separate the name of the person addressed or his/her title from the rest of the sentence:
Ex.  I suppose, Mrs. Harrison, that this is your final offer.
        We are glad to welcome you to our class, Bruce.
         Well, Mom, this would be a great night to go out for dinner.

5. To set off a direct quotation.
Ex.  Mom asked, "Have you finished your homework?"
        "I did it," I replied, "in study hall."
6. To set off an appositive that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
Ex.  Janice, who is standing beside the coach, is our best swimmer.
Incorrect  The girl, who is standing beside the coach, is our best swimmer.
          (Because now the info. inside the commas is important to the meaning of the sentence.)
corrected  The girl who is standing beside the coach is our best swimmer.

7. To set off inverted names in bibliographies, in indexes, in directories, or in other reference lists.
Ex.  Cleaver, Oren B.                           
         Bertrand, Robert
         Jensen, Stephen, M.D.

8. To set off an abbreviated title or degree following a person's name.
Ex.  Phillip J. Becker, M.D., is an anesthesiologist.
         Michelle Hammond, Ph.D., will be the graduation speaker.

9. To set off a transitional word or expression: as, then, indeed, nevertheless, moreover, of course.
Ex.  Indeed, we all considered the matter closed.
        On the contrary, a college degree does not guarantee employability.
        The more you travel, obviously, the easier you should find it to adjust to other
                      people's customs.
        I loved the book; however, I hated the movie.

10. To set off an introductory word such as yes, no, or well.
Ex.  Yes, we enjoyed your performance at the ballet.
         Well, let me give it some thought before I give you an answer.
11. To set off two or more prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence, or
to set off one long prepositional phrase.  or
To set off an adverbial phrase at the beginning of a sentence.
Ex.  In the fall of 2000, Al Gore and George W. Bush ran for presidency.
                     two prep. phrases = In the fall,  of 2000
         Beneath a dozen fluttering red and blue banners, he was sworn into office. 
                     long prep. phrase = Beneath a dozen fluttering red and blue banners  
          Waiting with anticipation, the child watched as his father came home with a new puppy.
                     adverbial phrase = waiting with anticipatiopn

12. In a date, set off the year when it's used with both the month and the day.  Don't use a comma if only the month and year are given.
Ex.  The couple was married on May 6, 1999, but had their reception the following week.
         The couple was married in May of 1999 after dating for three years.

13. Set off the name of a state or country when it's used after the name of the city.
Set off the name of the city when its used after a street address.
Don't use a comma after the state if it's followed by a ZIP code.
Ex.  The couple was traveling from Paris, France, to New York City.
        My new mailing address is 529 Riley Court, Mitchell, SD 57301.

14. Use a comma after the salutation of a friendly letter and after the closing of both a friendly letter and a business letter.
Ex.  Dear John,               Your loving son,          Sincerely, 

15. Use a comma to prevent misreading.


Ex.  Instead of two, five teachers made the trip.
        In the field below, the brook gurgled merrily.
        Whenever you go, go quickly.
Rules for Using Semicolons
1. Use a semicolon to join the main clauses of a compound sentence if they're not joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet).
Examples:  I miss my dog Lassie; he ran away last week.
2. Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses even when they are separated by a coordinating conjunction IF the clauses are very long and/or they already contain commas.
Examples:  After I took Michelle home yesterday and I ran errands for my mom, I
                was late getting back to the school for basketball practice; and my coach made
                me do fifty push-ups, fifty sit-ups, and run fifty laps.
3. Use a semicolon to separate main clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb, such as consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, or therefore.
Example:   I like soccer; however, tennis is fun too.
Rules for Using Colons
1. Use a colon to introduce a list of items that ends a sentence when it is preceded by a word or a phrase such as these, the following, or as follows.
Example:  I'll need these supplies for my project: newspapers, flour, water, string, and paint.

Don't use a colon immediately after a verb or a preposition.

Example:  My subjects include science, math, and social studies.

 

2.

 Use a colon to separate the hour and the minutes when you use numerals to write the time of day.
Example:  Lunch begins at 12:35 P.M.

3.

 Use a colon after the salutation of a business letter.
Example:   Dear Professor Hittle:
               Dear Editor in Chief:
Rules for using the Hyphen
 
Rules for using the Hyphen
1. Use a hyphen to divide a word at the end of a line of writing. 

Only words of two or more syllables may be divided at the end of a line.  Words should only be divided between syllables.
ex.  The teacher asked us to go to the library and research the affects of magne-
       tism on the human body.
2. Use the hyphen in compound numbers from twenty-one through ninety-nine and in fractions.
ex.  twenty-eight years
      The law passed by two-thirds majority.
3. Use hyphens in such compound nouns as great-aunt and comander-in-chief, and between words that form a compound adjective preceding a noun.
ex.  This is an up-to-date edition of the almanac.
Don't hyphenate the same phrase when not used as a compound adjective.
ex.  I will try to keep you up to date.

 
 
Rules for Writing Numbers 
1. Spell out numbers you can write in one or two words.  If the number is greater
    than 999,999 see rule #4.
Ex.  There are twenty-six students in the class.
2. Use numerals for numbers of more than two words.
Ex.  I ran a total of 158 miles last summer.
        
3. Spell out any number that begins a sentence, or reword the sentence so it
     doesn't begin with a number.  
Ex.  Four thousand two hundred eighty-three fans attended the game.
      Attendance at the game was 4,283.
4. Use figures for numbers greater than 999,999, followed by the word million,
      billion, and so on, even if the number could be written in two words.
Ex.  1 million       280 billion       3.2 trillion
5. Numbers of the same kind (or in the same sentence) should be written in the same
way.  If one number must be written as a numeral, write all the numbers as numerals.

However, when two numbers sit next to each other in a sentence write out one (preferably the one with fewer numbers) for clarity.
Ex.  Go to the store and buy ten 3-inch nails.
         They employed 10 women for 3 weeks at $200 a week.
6. Spell out ordinal numbers (first, second, third...) under one hundred.
Ex.  The sixth of May will be the couple's thirteenth wedding anniversary.
7. Use words to write the time of day unless you are using A.M. or P.M.
Ex.  I usually get home from school around four o'clock.
       The first bell rings at 8:05 A.M., and TAP starts at 8:15 A.M.
8. Use numerals to write dates, house numbers, street numbers above ninety-nine,
apartment and room numbers, telephone numbers, page numbers, amounts of
money of more than two words, and percentages.  Write out the word percent.
Ex.  On June 10, 1999, I met Jan at 41 East 329th Street in Apartment 3G.
  Her telephone number is 555-1234.

Ex.  Our class meets in room 105; 55 percent of the students are girls.

Ex.  I found the answer on pages 250 and 251 in this book.
Rules for using Periods
1. Place a period at the end of a declarative sentence or a command.
Ex.  Green belts around cities are attractive and provide oxygen.
         Go wash your hands.
2. Place a period at the end of an indirect question.
Ex.  He could not determine why the changes had not been made.
3. Using periods with abbreviations - 
A.  use period after an abbreviation that stands for a single word.
       Ex.  John Smith and Co., Inc.    
              Mrs. Susan Richards
              A.D. 2025    or   119 B.C.
              Jan. 6   (use only in charts or lists)
              202 Harvard Dr.  (use only on envelopes)

However, eliminate periods in abbreviations of units in the metric system.
     Do not use abbreviations for units of measure except in scientific writing.
Examples:  inches = in.     foot = ft.     grams = g       liters = l

Exceptions:

 miles per gallon = mpg
miles per hour = mph		   

B.  Ordinarily, do not place a period between letters indicating government boards/
      organizations or after the call letters of broadcasting stations.
Examples,   FBI,   CIA,  CBS,  KTIV

C.  Do not use periods when the abbreviation is  pronounced letter by letter or as words.
         Ex.    MVP , NASA
   Exceptions:  U.S.  and  Washington, D.C.
4. The use of periods after an abbreviation in connection with other punctuation marks.
A.  When the last word in a sentence is abbreviated, one period will suffice.
Ex.  We plan to meet at 9 A.M.
                     
B.  When a title is used when referring to a specific person
Ex.  Katherine Harrison, Ph.D., will be in attendance
5. Use three periods separated by spaces to denote an omission in quoted matter.  
When the omission occurs at the end of a sentence, the sentence period is retained as well (equaling 4 periods).

          Ex.   "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America . . . . "
Rules for using other End Punctuation 
1. Use a question mark at the end of an interrogative sentence.  An interrogative
    sentence asks a question.
Ex.  Who came to school with you yesterday?
         How old are you?
2. Use an exclamation point at the end of an exclamatory sentence (one that expresses strong feeling), to add more feeling to a declarative sentence, and after a strong interjection.
Ex.  What an awesome song!
         I can't believe I passed that test.  »  Whew!   I can't believe I passed that test!
         Hey!       Wow!        Ouch!      My goodness!      Oops!
Rules for using the apostrophe
1. Use an  's   to form the possessive of a singular noun (even when the noun ends in an s)
ex. boss's,  my mother's,  boy's,   Henry's,  Phylis's
2. Use an  's   to form the possessive of a plural noun that does not end in an s
ex.  men's,  women's
3. Use an  '  alone to formthe possessive of a plural noun that ends in an s
ex. boys',  drivers'
4. Use an  's   to form the possessive of indefinite pronouns
ex.  anyone's,    someone's
5. Never use an ' with a possessive pronoun
ex.  its,  yours,   hers
6. Use an  's  to form the plurals of letters, figures, and words used as words
ex. four B's,   two 3's,   no if's, and's, or but's
7. In names of organizations and businesses, in hyphenated words, and in joint ownership, show possession in the last word only.
ex.  Mother and Father's trip,  
      great-grandfather's gold watch

Rules for using the quotation marks
1. Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation.  Indirect quotations need no quotation marks.
ex.  My mother said, "If you need a ride, call me."
      My mother said that she could give me ride if I called her.
Always begin a direct quotation with a capital letter.  When a direct quote is divided by explanitory words, begin the second part of the quotation with a lowercase letter.  If the second part of the quotation is a complete sentence, the first word of this sentence is capitalized.
ex.  "If the shoe fits," said John, "wear it."
       "I have to go," said Kate, "Tell Brad I'll call him."
2. Place commas and periods inside quotation marks.  Place semicolons and colons outside the quotation marks.
ex.  Mary reminded us, "The movie begins at 8:00"; however, she was wrong.
       Examine these elements as you read "The Tell-Tale Heart": plot, characterization, and
       point of view.
3. Place question marks and exclamation points inside quotation marks if they belong to the quote.  Place them outside if they do not belong to the quotation.
ex.  Patty asked, "Who wants to go to the movies tonight?"
       Did Patty say, "Mary will be at the movies tonight"?
4. Use single quotation marks to enclose one quotation within another.  If the quotation within the quotation ends the sentence, use both the single and double quotation marks after the last word of the quotations.
ex.  "I heard you say, 'Tell Kate' as you left the office."
      "I heard you say, 'Tell Kate.'"
5. Use quotation marks to enclose the titles of poems, short stories, songs, reports, articles, and chapters of books.
ex.  "Star Spangled Banner"        
      "The Road Not Taken"
      "The Tell-Tale Heart"

Rules for Effective Writing
1. Use correct spelling
2. Use correct word choice (homonyms and words closely related)
ex.  good/well            their/there/they're         then/than
3. Do not use sentence fragments.  Every sentence needs to have a subject, verb, and be a complete thought.
4. Do not use run-on sentences.  You may only connect two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction.  Then you need to begin a new sentence.
ex.   incorrect -  I went running, and Sue came with me, but Lori stayed home
                         to watch her baby brother.
       correct - I went running, and Sue came with me.  Lori had to stay home
                     to watch her baby brother.
5. Do not use slang in formal essays.  Slang in dialogue of short stories or narratives is acceptable.


ex.  24/7              green/$           my bad            Not           sweet/cool

 

 

 

Reading

  1. Young Adult Book Lists:  http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.htm

  2. The International Reading Association:  http://www.reading.org/resources/tools/choices.html and http://www.reading.org/

  3. Children's Book Awards and Other Literary Prizes:  http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/awards.htm

  4. Reading Is Fundamental:  http://www.rif.org/

     

     

     

Writing

Online Thesaurus:  http://thesaurus.reference.com/

Online Dictionary:  http://dictionary.reference.com/

 

 

 

Spelling

List of Commonly Misspelled Words:  http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/misspelled_words.htm

Spelling Rules: Click the PowerPoint Presentation

http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/spelling.htm