Transcript JRNL final review

Grammar review!
March 8, 2011
Subjects
• Definition: The subject of a sentence is the actor that
is doing or being something in the sentence.
• To find the subject(s), find the verb and ask yourself:
Who or what “verbs” or “verbed?”
• EX: The mold smells like dirty feet.
• What smells? The mold. It is the subject.
Objects
• Definition: The object of a sentence is on the
receiving end of the subject’s action. Objects
complete the thought of the sentence. They are what
or who is being done to.
• To find the object, ask yourself whom or what
after the verb.
• EX: The woman drank tea after a long day at the
office.
• What did the woman drink? Tea is the object.
Simple verb tenses
• Media professionals prefer simple
tenses.
• Three tenses: past, present, future
• Past: Wendy drank water.
• Present: Wendy drinks water.
• Future: Wendy will drink water.
Be verbs
• The short list of linking verbs: is, are,
was, were, be, been, am
• Example: Wendy is fond of cats.
• OR: Cats are like a religion for Wendy.
• Versus: Wendy praises cats the way
some people praise scripture.
Pronouns
Pronouns (for example: he, she, it, they) need
to match the tense of the subject to which
they refer.
• For example:
Although the baseball team had its share of
successes, the season was a loss.
She praised the news media for their ability to
report with accuracy.
Active/Passive Voice
Why use active and not passive voice?
Guidelines for spotting passive voice (p. 68):
• The subject is acted upon rather than doing or being
anything itself.
EX Passive: The book was read by the author.
EX passive: Declined enrollment was the result of
poor management by University administrators.
• Passive voice uses some form of a be verb as a
helping verb.
EX: The cheese will be eaten by Wendy.
EX: The cheese was eaten by Wendy.
Clauses
• Definition: Groups of related words that have
both a subject and a verb (could be enough
information to form a complete sentence,
could not)
• Two kinds of clauses: independent and
dependent
• The order and kind of clause determines the
punctuation
Words to know
When do we use the following:
Who, whom, whoever, whomever
Who’s, whose (first is shortened verb of
“who is,” second is possessive)
Already, all ready
Alright, allright
Less, fewer
Farther, further
Independent clauses
• Definition: Forms a a complete thought
• EX: I went to the beach.
The cheddar cheese tastes good.
Dependent clauses
• Definition: Not a complete thought,
needs more information
• EX: when I was 6 years old
although I prefer fire
Phrases
• Definition: Groups of words that lack a
subject or verb or both (not enough
information to make a sentence)
• EX: in the strawberry fields, on the
playground, at the podium
Essential/nonessential
phrases, clauses
***Punctuation guides meaning in clauses and phrases.
EX: My brother Owen has a cat, Kitty.
• Essential: Necessary for meaning to be clear, DO
NOT set off with commas (general rule--if the
information can’t go in parentheses, it’s essential)
• EX: My cat Wompus is crazy.
• Nonessential: Adds details but not necessary for
clear understanding (general rule--if the information
can go in parentheses, it’s nonessential)
• EX: Journalism, the practice of media professionals,
is the topic of this class.