Transcript Grammar Review

Grammar Review
Journalism/New Media II
Summer 2009
Remember the five most common
grammar errors?
• Punctuation
– Get to know the semicolon
– Commas are not free
• Subject/verb agreement
– Team takes a singular verb!
• Pronouns
• Sentence structure
• Word usage
Commas are not free!
• Use them for:
– Compound sentences when clauses are
separated by a conjunction
• I have a car, but I prefer to walk to school.
– Separating elements in a series:
• She likes to eat pasta, broccoli, peas and
cupcakes. (AP style omits comma before
conjunction)
– Attribution:
• The professor said, “Make sure you study your
grammar!” or “I hated that movie,” the student said.
More on commas
• They follow introductory matter (after an
introductory clause)
• When the teacher handed out the syllabus,
several students left the room.
• They’re also used after a phrase with a verb
used as a modifier
– Talking as they ran, they didn’t hear the car coming.
• They follow all items in a date or address:
– September 11, 2001, began as a beautiful day.
Even more on commas
• They surround non-essential words or
phrases
– As for the cherry pie, well, let’s just say it’s
gone.
• They set of appositives (words that
rename a noun)
– Barack Obama, a democrat from Illinois, is
running for president
The semi-colon
• Use the semi-colon when:
– Linking two independent clauses that have no
coordinating conjunction linking them. In place
of: and, so, but, yet.
• Ex: Maria ate 2 dozen cookies on Wednesday; she
regrets it.
• The judge issued her decision today; the
defendant will spend four months in federal prison.
Another use for the semi-colon
• The semi-colon should also be used when
two independent clauses are linked by a
conjunctive adverb: however, moreover,
nevertheless, therefore…
– Ex: We took too long at dinner; therefore, we
missed the movie.
Subject/Verb Agreement
• Confusing collective subjects:
– Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Checkers—are all
treated as singular nouns
• The Boy Scouts has a special badge for
community service.
• Checkers is my favorite game.
• Latin endings:
– The Media are
– The alumni are…
Fractions/percentage
• Fractions or percentages are considered
singular
– Three-quarters of the pie is gone.
– Ninety-five percent of voters is needed for a
majority.
Either, neither, nor, everyone,
anybody
• Are always singular
– Either is fine with me.
– Neither candidate has my vote.
– Everyone likes Jerry.
– Anyone can bake an apple pie.
Who/Whom
• Who is the subject of the clause.
– Who is that?
– Who gave you the ice cream?
– The man who is walking stopped to tie his
shoe.
Who/Whom
• Whom is the object of a preposition
– Whom do you prefer as President?
– To whom are you speaking?
That and Which
• If a sentence can be read without the
subordinate clause and the meaning does
not change, “which” should be used.
Otherwise, use “that.”
• Cakes, which have a lot of calories, are
delicious.
• The cake that is in the kitchen is for the
bake sale.
• That RESTRICTS and which
ELABORATES