Transcript Tricky bits….

Tricky bits….
Exceptions to all those rules – and
common mistakes
Punctuation and
Grammar Rules
Capitals
Use capitals to:
Begin a sentence
For name and titles
For the pronoun I
For the first word of direct speech inside
inverted commas EG:
Sue smiled and said, “Everyone needs a holiday.”
Apostrophes
An apostrophe has TWO uses:
To show where letters have been missed out
Do + not = don’t
To show ownership
The cat’s paws (one cat); The cats’paws (more than
one cat)
Commas
Use commas to make writing clear and
easy to read. Commas are used:
To separate items in a list
To mark off part of a sentence that reads as if it
were in brackets
To separate a person’s name from the rest of
the senteces
To introduce direct conversation EG:
The teacher said, “You must read your notes.”
Commas cont…
To separate details of a written date
To separate coordinate clauses joined by
conjunctions such as and and but when the
second clause contains a change of subject EG
Their new product is in the shops, and they hope it
will sell well.
A comma isn’t needed if the subject doesn’t
change
George has a black belt in karate and his sister is
also skilled in the sport.
Comma splice
Never join the principle clauses in a
compound sentence with comma. EG:
Annabel is an excellent player, she scored the
winning goal.
x
Annabel is an excellent player, and she scored
he winning goal OR

Annabel an excellent player; she scored the
winning goal.

Don’t break sentences in 2
Don’t use full stops for commas EG:
I met her at LPHS three years ago. On our first
day of school.
Semicolons
Instead of a conjunction to separate two
clauses e.g.
Bill Bryson’s books are entertaining; they are
filled with insightful ideas.
To separate items in a list to avoid
confusion
To deliberately create a pause that will
emphasise the following words.
Colons
Use them after an independent clause to
introduce a list of specifics, to amplify or
before an illustrative quotation EG:
Your dedicated writer requires: a laptop, a
dictionary and a notepad.
Even so, there was a directness to the burial:
there was no wreath, no eulogy and no prayer.
The squalor of the streets reminded her of a
quote from Wilde: “We are all in the gutter but
some of us are looking at the stars.”
The dash
Used to set off an abrupt break or
interruption and to announce a long
appositive or summary EG:
 His first thought on getting out of bed – if he
had any thought at all – was to get back in
again.
Syntax
Run on sentences…
 A sentence in which two or more independent
clauses (i.e. complete sentences) are joined
without appropriate punctuation or conjunction.
EG:
A run-on sentence, with no punctuation or conjunction
between "five" and "we": It is nearly half past five we can
not reach the town before dark.
A run-on sentence where some independent clauses are
missing parts of speech, so that one clause "morphs"
into the next: I was interested in bought one of them
Split infinitives
Generally it’s wrong to spit the infinitive
form of a verb (to be, to walk, to sing) with
an adverb. EG:
My aim is to quickly do my homework.
My aims to do my homework quickly.
X

Different…
Is followed by from, not to or than.
Their attitudes are different to/than mine X
Their attitudes are different from mine √
After I or We, use shall not will
I will travel to Australia in June X
I shall travel to Australia in June
√
None should never be followed by a plural
verb
None of the books have been returned
None of the books has been returned
X
√
Form the possessive singular by adding ‘s
Charles’s friend, Burns’s poems
Except the possessive of ancient proper
names e.g. Jesus’ and forms such as
righteousness’ sake
Hers, its, theirs, yours and ours have no
apostrophe but indefinite pronouns do use
‘s to show possession e.g. one’s rights
Subject and verb agreement
A verb must always agree in number with
its subject. If the subject is singular, then
the verb must be singular too.
The doctor was going to the hospital.
If the subject is plural, the verb must be
plural too.
The doctors were going to the hospital
Collective nouns and verb agreement
Collective nouns refer to a number of
things
In most cases, treat as a singular so take a
singular verb
The crowd was moving towards the stadium
BUT if the noun seems like it can be treated as
a number of individuals, use a plural verb
The audience are leaping to their feet and cheering
Common Mistakes
Tautology
Needless repetition of words
Precise writing omits needless words
EG. The reason why was that (Because)
EG. In a hasty manner (Hastily)
Affect Effect
 Affect is always a verb. Meanings:
To act upon or influence
To make a difference to
To impress or move feelings
To make a show of or pretend
 The poem affected me deeply
 Effect can be a verb OR a noun
As a verb, effect means to cause or bring about
As a noun it means as a result of
 After promotion, she effected many changes
Your You’re
Your is a pronoun (second person,
possessive plural). EG:
Your car is faster than mine
You’re is the contracted form of you + are
EG:
You’re a safe a driver.
Their They’re There
There is an adverb, describes position
EG That car over there is the latest model
Their is an adjective, (possessive form) of
they
EG Their car
They’re is the contraction of they + are
EG They’re driving too fast for the conditions
To too
To is a preposition, it shows the
relationship between two or more things
EG:
I am going to the shop
Too is used to show agreement or more
than one. EG:
I thought the concert was great too.
Its It’s
Its is a possessive pronoun (third person
singular) and doesn’t need an apostrophe
EG:
The dog scratched its back
It’s is a contraction sort of it + is OR it +
has EG:
It’s a sad day when students forget basic
grammar
Amount and Number
Number refers to a specific amount, sum
or count. EG;
 Any number of students in Year 12 can pass
this exam.
Amount refers to quantity. Eg:
The amount of resistance surprised him.
Between and among; Either and any
Between is used for two objects. eg:
Sue stood between the two goal posts
Among/Amongst is used for more than
two. Eg:
Sue ran amongst the opposing team’ back line.
Use either if two things, any if more than
two EG:
Any of the five books will do.
Each, either, neihter and every
These words take
A singular verb because they imply separate
individuals are involved. EG:
Each one of the boys is to be stood down
A singular pronoun
Every (one) person at the scene did his or her duty
It is grammatically incorrect to use their (a
third person, possessive plural pronoun)
with each, every, either and neither
Lie and Lay
Lie has to meanings
To tell a lie
To lie down or recline
Lay means to put or place something
down
Me and I
When the pronoun is the subject of the
verb, use I. When the pronoun is the
object of the verb, use me.
She gave the books to Peter and I.
She gave the books to Peter and me.
X

Principle and Principal
If the meaning is the sense of being first or
most important, use principal.
If it is in the sense of a rule or a standard,
use principle.
More Tricky Bits
Double negatives
When a sentence has a negative meaning,
don’t put two negatives together EG:
I did not never do it
She never used none of those books
I did not ever do it OR I never did it
x
x

Relative pronouns
For things, use which
For people, use who, whom, whose
Who is used when it’s the subject of the
following verb
Whom is used when it’s the object of the
following verb OR after a preposition
This is the man who followed me.
This is the man whom I followed
This is the man to whom I spoke.
Relative pronouns cont…
This is the man whom I spoke to.
This is the man whose car I crashed.
This is the man who I think followed me.
That – defining. Which – non defining.
Each made a list of books that had influenced
him.
I always buy his books, which have influenced
me.
Different…
Is followed by from, not to or than.
Their attitudes are different to/than mine X
Their attitudes are different from mine √