Transcript Bare Essentials grammar Jan 09

The Bare Essentials!
A Grammar Presentation
By Mrs. Meldrum
Who Cares?
Imagine saying,
“I can’t read clocks. What time is it?”
“I didn’t learn how to multiply; what’s 6x4?”
“I can’t tie my shoes. Could you tie them for
me?”
How powerless would you feel?
What kind of an impression would you leave
on people around you?
Grammar is Power
Actually knowing and working on
grammar skills gives a person
power – the power to appear
knowledgeable and polished and
educated.
Many people respect that kind of
power, especially older people who
have power and education.
Who are these people?
Your teachers, guidance counselors,
volunteer coordinators, bosses,
university admissions officers,
professors, etc.
These people often determine parts of
your life &/or your choices. If you write
and speak like them (or better), you
have more chances of influencing them.
When you fit in, you get respect and
control, just like with any clique.
Good grammar will get you:
• Better grades in ALL courses! (without
more reading or work on harder skills)
• Better grades give you
– More options for post-secondary education
– Jobs with more choices, higher pay, less
physical labour (in general)
• More respect from adults / persons of
power = more control over your life
• More independence
Even Adults Err!
All 10 are mistakes made in this class!
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,39273376,00.htm
Homophones
Words that sound alike
but have different
spellings and
meanings
its, it’s; your, you’re;
too, to, two; there,
their, they’re; which,
witch; passed, past;
weather, whether
Tip: where there here
What’s the whether like?
What’s the weather
like?
It’s snowing, witch is
good for skiing later.
It’s snowing, which is
good for skiing later.
Your going to need to
study for the exam.
You’re / you are
going to need to
study for the exam.
Apostrophes
Used to show possession / ownership
Kayla’s purse; Dennis’ homework
Used to create a contraction
do not/don’t; cannot/can’t; I will/I’ll
Oddity – it’s (short for it is, not ownership)
Never used to show plurals!
students = plural, student’s = one student owns something
Noun – Pronoun Agreement
Check that the noun and its pronoun agree
– are both singular or plural as needed.
The actor should toss their hair, and their
voice should be angry.
The actor should toss his hair, and his
voice should be angry.
A person should make sure their cell
phone is turned off at the beginning of
class.
A person should make sure his/her cell
phone is turned off at the beginning of
class.
Cruelty to the Common Comma
The Rules (9)
(Kiester)
1. To separate items in a series.
Mrs. Meldrum marked quizzes, tests, and assignments.
Mrs. Meldrum baked cookies, cleaned the house, and
washed the dogs to get ready for Christmas.
2. Between two or more adjectives before a noun
(unless one expresses a single idea) or the
last one is age or colour.
The noisy German Shepard dog barked at the mailman.
The lame old dog barked at the window.
The lame, noisy dog barked at the mailman.
Cruelty to the Common Comma
The Rules (9)
3. To separate the month and day from the year.
I was born on May 8, 1972.
4. Between the city and state or city and province and
after the state or province if it is within a
sentence.
I grew up in Johnstown, Ontario, and moved to Ottawa
in 1991.
5. After words, phrases, and clauses at the beginning
of a sentence.
Wow, Mrs. Meldrum is really old!
Before class yesterday morning, I walked the dogs.
Cruelty to the Common Comma
The Rules (9)
6. Compound Sentences – two simple sentences joined
by a conjunction should have a comma.
This afternoon, I am going to the store, and I am going
to the theatre afterwards.
When I get home, we’ll have dinner, and I’ll help you
with your homework.
7. Complex sentences – If the first half of a sentence
has a subject and a verb and can’t stand alone, I
should put in a comma before the second subject.
“As soon as Rudy finishes his homework, he’ll check
his phone for messages.”
“When I walk my dog, I like to listen to my iPod.”
“I like to listen to my iPod when I walk my dog.
Cruelty to the Common Comma
The Rules (9)
8. Direct Address – commas before & after a person’s
name in dialogue: unless at the start or end of a
sentence.
“Hey, Bessem, are you coming to the caf?” queried
Simon.
“I’ll be there in a minute, Simon,” Bessem replied. “Bill,
we’ll meet you there.”
9. Dialogue Punctuation - Use a comma after a tag /
before an open quotes; Use a comma inside quotes
/ before a tag
Mohammed whispered, “It’s snowing.”
“Look at it come down,” replied Ibrahim.
Cruelty to the Common Comma
Classic Mistakes
CS/Comma Splices - Using a comma
between two sentences. Use a ./;/:/!/?
Instead.
Jim’s going to the store, he’ll be back later.
Jim’s going to the store. He’ll be back later.
Israa is a great actress, she really gets into
her role.
Israa is a great actress; she really gets into
her role.
Cruelty to the Common Comma
Classic Mistakes
Don’t put a comma between a subject and a verb.
J.J. and Maddie often, work together.
J.J. and Maddie often work together.
Don’t put a comma before “because”, “when”,
“which”, “who”, “since” in most cases because
these words are usually in the second half of a
complex sentence.
I need to wear my hood in the winter since the
wind is so cold.
Exception – I need to wear my hood in the winter since the
wind is so cold, which is annoying.
I need to wear my hood in the winter, which is annoying,
since the wind is so cold.
Dialogue Punctuation
Different uses of commas and capitals with
interrupted quotes, questions &
exclamations
“Hey, Michael!” said Fatima. “Quit stealing
my pen. Don’t you have your own?”
“Yeah,” joked Michael, “but your purple one
is just my colour.”
ROS / Run On Sentences
Not putting in a ./;/:/!/? Between two
sentences
Tori really enjoys texting Fatima they
keep trying to do it in class.
Tori really enjoys texting Fatima. They
keep trying to do it in class.
General Tips – Pay Attention!
If you don’t know why you’re putting the punctuation there,
find out – put an asterisk / highlight it.
Find a friend who is a better proofreader than you are!
Ask the teacher; find her when she isn’t too busy.
Use the internet; there are a lot of great grammar
websites.
Buy (or ask your parents for) a grammar book.
Pay attention to the underlining in Word and ‘right
click’ to get correction options.
Internet Sites
Online exercises grammar
http://www.smic.be/smic5022/exercisesgrammar.htm
Grammar Bytes http://chompchomp.com/menu.htm
Exercises at Grammar Bytes
http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm
Common Mistakes and Tricky Choices
http://englishplus.com/grammar/mistcont.htm
Common Errors in English
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
Grammar Books
Some that I own
Mini Oxford
Mini Collins
spelling, grammar, thesaurus
Other grammar books
Underlining in Word
Red is spelling Green is grammar
Quiz
Its time for dinner.
Hey don’t eat that! Pat
yelled.
Its his book.
After Ilwad read the
book she wrote an
essay.
Shaun gave the bird its
toy.
Ian is late, because he
forgot his books.
The girl’s are playing
rugby.
It is / It’s time for dinner.
“Hey, don’t eat that!” Pat
yelled.
It is / It’s his book.
After Ilwad read the
book, she wrote an
essay.
Shaun gave the bird its
toy.
Ian is late because he
forgot his books.
The girls are playing
rugby.
Want more? Read your own work!
Bibliography
Exercises at Grammar Bytes
http://www.chompchomp.com/exercises.htm
Kiester, Jane Bell. The Chortling Bard: Caught’ya Grammar
with a Giggle for High School Students. Maupin House
Publishing Inc.: Florida, 1998.
Created Jan 09 by T. Meldrum