Coping.org:
Tools for Coping
with Life's
Stressors
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Amy skipped karate practice, she felt sick. |
You can choose one of several options to correct the error of comma splices:
A. SUBSTITUTE A PERIOD FOLLOWED BY A CAPITAL LETTER:
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Amy skipped karate practice. She felt sick. |
B. SUBSTITUTE A SEMICOLON TO SIGNAL THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO ITEMS:
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Amy skipped karate practice; she felt sick. |
C. USE A SEMICOLON WITH A CONNECTING ADVERB (a transitional word)
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Amy felt sick; consequently, she skipped karate practice. |
D. USE A SUBORDINATING WORD TO MAKE THE LESS IMPORTANT CLAUSE INCOMPLETE:
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Because Amy felt sick, she skipped karate practice. |
Use these suggestions, as well as others mentioned in your textbook, to avoid comma splices in your writing.
ASSIGNMENT # 2
HOMEWORK ANSWERS (There are up to four possible ways to answer each question)
A-3
1. Efforts are being made to halt water pollution, however there is no simple solution to the problem.
Answers:
TWO SENTENCES:
Efforts are being made to halt water pollution. There is no simple solution to the problem.
SEMICOLON:
Efforts are being made to halt water pollution; there is no simple solution to the problem.
SEMICOLON AND CONNECTIVE ADVERB:
Efforts are being made to halt water pollution; however, there is no simple solution to the problem.
CHANGING THE LESS IMPORTANT CLAUSE INTO AN INCOMPLETE CLAUSE:
Though efforts are being made to halt water pollution, there is no simple solution to the problem
2. Bill slept through his final, he had forgotten to set his alarm.
Answers:
Bill slept through his final. He had forgotten to set his alarm.
Bill slept through his final; he had forgotten to set his alarm.
He had forgotten to set his alarm; thus, Bill slept through his final.
Because he had forgotten to set his alarm, Bill slept through his final.
3. Ellen must be a genius, she never studies yet always gets A's.
Answers:
Ellen must be a genius. She never studies yet always gets A’s.
Ellen must be a genius; she never studies yet always gets A’s.
She never studies yet always gets A’s; consequently, Ellen must be a genius.
Ellen, a genius, never studies yet always gets A’s.
4. We arrived at the picnic late, there were no hamburgers left.
Answers:
We arrived at the picnic late. There were no hamburgers left
We arrived at the picnic late; there were no hamburgers left.
We arrived at the picnic late; as a result, there were no hamburgers left.
Due to our arriving at the picnic late, there were no hamburgers left.
5. My part-time job is excellent, it pays well, provides good experience, and offers a real challenge.
Answers:
My part time job is excellent. It pays well, provides good experience, and offers a real challenge.
My part time job is excellent; it pays well, provides good experience, and offers a real challenge.
My part time job is excellent; mainly, it pays well, provides good experience, and offers a real challenge.
My excellent part time job pays well, provides good experience, and offers a real challenge.
II. RUN-ON SENTENCES
A variety of sentences, both long and short, help keep writing varied and interesting. A sentence that goes on and on, however, can easily overwhelm and/or lose the reader. A run-on sentence should be broken up into two or more smaller sentences.
EXAMPLE:
Jane sighed loudly, trying desperately to place the face of the gentleman in front of her, among the faces of those boys that she attended high school with those many years ago.
Jane sighed loudly. She tried desperately to place the face of the gentleman before her. She looked for his face among the faces of those boys she had attended high school with those many years ago.
As you proofread your writing, check carefully to make sure you have turned sentence fragments into complete ideas and that you have broken down run-on sentences. Use the information you learned in doing A-3 to help to avoid comma splices as you correct your run-on sentences. Remember you have four options:
· SUBSTITUTE A PERIOD FOLLOWED BY A CAPITAL LETTER
· SUBSTITUTE A SEMICOLON TO SIGNAL THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO ITEMS
· USE A SEMICOLON WITH A CONNECTING ADVERB (a transitional word)
USE A SUBORDINATING WORD TO MAKE THE LESS IMPORTANT CLAUSE INCOMPLETE
ASSIGNMENT # 2
HOMEWORK ANSWERS (As in the above exercise, there are up to four possible ways of correcting these run-on sentences. For most questions, two possible answers will be provided below.)
A-4
1. The gale blew all day by evening the sloop was taking on water.
ANSWERS:
TWO SENTENCES:
The gale blew all day. By evening, the sloop was taking on water.
SEMICOLON:
The gale blew all day; by evening, the sloop was taking on water.
2. Jennifer felt hopeless about passing English however the writing center helped her complete the course.
ANSWER:
Jennifer felt hopeless about passing English; however, the writing center helped her complete the course.
3. The professor glared at John: he had been dozing in the back.
ANSWERS:
The professor glared at John. He had been dozing in the back.
The professor glared at John; he had been dozing in the back.
4. Our drama club produces three plays a year I love opening nights.
ANSWERS:
Our drama club produces three plays a year. I love opening nights.
Our drama club produces three plays a year; I love opening nights.
5. Pets should not be allowed on our campus. They are messy and sometimes dangerous.
ANSWERS:
Pets should not be allowed on our campus. They are messy and sometimes dangerous.
Pets should not be allowed on our campus: they are messy and sometimes dangerous.
ASSIGNMENT # 3: SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT
A – 5
1. Ten years ago the mineral rights to this land was sold to a mining company.
2. Each of the students in our dorm have a serious complaint about living conditions.
3. Neither the students nor the instructor like this classroom.
4. Neither Fred nor Mary expect to pass this course.
5. Anyone wanting to enhance their career should take a computer course.
Homework Assignment # 3 asked you to look at subject-verb and noun-pronoun agreement. These two areas are very important to maintaining consistency and coherence in your writing. As a result, extra class work exercises are included with this lecture. These exercises are to be done for your benefit and do not need to be submitted with your homework.
I. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
The subject or “noun” (person, place, or thing) in the sentence must agree in number with the verb.
If the subject is singular the verb must be singular
(The cat is hungry).
If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural
(The cats are hungry).
In short sentences, subject verb agreement is usually not a problem. The problem occurs more frequently in longer sentences when the subject is separated from the verb by other words.
Let’s look at the example from your textbook:
INCORRECT – The lion’s share of diesels are sold in Europe.
Although diesels are closest to the verb, the subject of the sentence is share, a singular subject that needs a singular verb.
CORRECT – The lion’s share of diesels is sold in Europe.
The key to correcting mistakes in subject-verb agreement is to identify the subject and the verb in each of your sentences and determine if they agree in number. As a writer, you must also be aware of the following rules mentioned in your textbook:
A. Indefinite subject pronouns like each, everybody, anybody, and somebody usually take a singular verb:
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Everyone in the class has studied hard for the exam. |
B. Collective nouns such as herd, family, union, board, committee, group, team, etc., may use a singular or plural verb depending on your meaning:
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When denoting the group as a whole – use a singular verb |
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The committee meets weekly to discuss new business. |
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The family plans to visit Disney World. |
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When denoting individual members – use a plural verb |
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All of the family exercise regularly. |
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The union disagree on certain aspects of the contract. |
C. Subjects or joined by “either . . . or” or “neither . . . nor”
Singular subjects use singular verbs:
Neither Anne nor Nadia likes chicken.
Plural subjects use plural verbs:
Either the girls or their mothers work the counter.
One plural subject and one singular subject?
Choose the subject that is closest to the verb:
Neither the students nor the teacher likes the classroom.
Neither the teacher nor the students like the classroom.
Print out and complete this exercise from Writing, A College Handbook for further practice with subject-verb agreement.
EXERCISE # 1: CORRECTING FOR SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
In some of the following sentences, the verb does not agree with its subject. Correct every verb you consider wrong. If there is nothing wrong with the subject-verb agreement in the sentence then mark the sentence correct.
1. Members of the city’s transportation department is seeking a solution to the traffic problem on Main Street.
2. There has been many complaints from merchants and shoppers.
3. An attorney representing five storeowners are preparing to sue the city for negligence and economic harassment.
4. Each of the five companies have lost money in the last ten months.
5. A number of shoppers is circulating a petition calling for the resignation of the mayor.
6. A new and improved means of traffic control need to be found. (Hefferman & Lincoln, 378).
ANSWERS TO CORRECTING SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT:
1. Members of the city’s transportation department are seeking a solution to the traffic problem on Main Street.
2. There have been many complaints from merchants and shoppers.
3. An attorney representing five storeowners is preparing to sue the city for negligence and economic harassment.
4. Each of the five companies has lost money in the last ten months.
5. A number of shoppers are circulating a petition calling for the resignation of the mayor.
6. A new and improved means of traffic control need to be found. (Hefferman & Lincoln, 378).
CORRECT
II. NOUN-PRONOUN REFERENCE
A pronoun (substitute for a noun) can save time and give writing more variety. Like any other tool in writing, however, pronouns must be used correctly for effectiveness.
A. Editing Unclear Pronouns:
An important rule of pronoun use is to make sure the noun that the pronoun is referencing is crystal clear. A common mistake that writers make is to use pronouns with an unclear reference:
In the first part of the film, it shows waves crashing against the shoreline.
In the sentence above, “it” is the pronoun, but the noun that “it” is referring to is unclear.
Here’s another example:
Though traveling in Mexico is enjoyable, crossing the border can be tricky. Sometimes they detain tourists for no reason other then to make money.
As with the first example, the pronoun “they” is very unclear. As a writer you must be sure that all your pronoun have a clear noun reference. If not, then these unclear pronouns should be corrected or eliminated.
Print out and complete the exercise below from Writing, A College Handbook for further practice on eliminating unclear pronoun reference.
EXERCISE # 2: EDITING UNCLEAR PRONOUNS
In the following sentences, the italicized pronoun has been used confusingly. Briefly diagnose what is wrong and then clarify the sentence.
EXAMPLE
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The boy and the man knew that he had not much longer to live. |
DIAGNOSIS
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“He” is unclear; it can refer to either the man or the boy. |
CURE
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The boy and the old man knew that the old man had not much longer to live. |
1. Archimedes discovered the principle of displacement while he was taking a bath. It made him leap out of the water in excitement.
2. Shouting “Eureka!” over and over, he ran naked through the streets of Syracuse. They must have been amazed to see him – or at least amused.
3. But in any case, Archimedes had found a solution to a problem assigned to him by King Hieron II. He would surely be pleased.
4. To learn whether or not the crown was pure gold, they had to see whether its volume matched the volume of the pure gold ingot that weighed the same. (Heffernan & Lincoln, 352).
ANSWERS TO EDITING UNCLEAR PRONOUNS:
1. Archimedes discovered the principle of displacement while he was taking a bath. The discovery made him leap out of the water in excitement.
2. Shouting “Eureka!” over and over, he ran naked through the streets of Syracuse. The citizens must have been amazed to see him – or at least amused.
3. But in any case, Archimedes had found a solution to a problem assigned to him by King Hieron II. The King would surely be pleased.
4. To learn whether or not the crown was pure gold, Archimedes and the King had to see whether its volume matched the volume of the pure gold ingot that weighed the same. (Heffernan & Lincoln, 352).
B. NOUN-PRONOUN REFERENCE
Just as a subject must agree in number with its verb, a pronoun must agree in number with the noun it is referring to:
INCORRECT: A student should do their own work.
CORRECT: A student should do his or her own work.
The subject of the sentence is student, which is singular. Thus, the pronoun that refers to student should also be singular. “His” and/or “her” should be substituted for “their” to insure correct noun-pronoun agreement. As you go through each sentence in your writing, determine whether your subject is singular or plural and then make sure the pronoun agrees with the number of the subject.
**In the case of indefinite pronouns such as each, everyone, anybody, someone, or none make the corresponding pronoun singular:
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Anyone can earn a driver’s license if he or she passes the road test. |
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Each teacher made copies of her lesson plans. |
Print out and complete the exercise below from Writing, A College Handbook for further practice with subject-verb agreement.
Read each sentence and determine if the noun-pronoun reference agrees in number. Make any corrections necessary to have the noun and pronoun agree. If the sentence is correct, write in “no change.”
1. Twenty years ago, a woman who kept their married name was hardly considered married at all.
2. Ordinarily Mr. Smith is one of those stoical types who can control his temper.
3. For weeks in fact, neither of the neighbor’s two dogs would show their head.
4. Everyone in the neighborhood had their own version of the uproar that followed. (Heffernan & Lincoln, 356-357).
ANSWERS TO RECOGNIZING AGREEMENT IN NUMBER:
1. Twenty years ago, a woman who kept her married name was hardly considered married at all.
2. Ordinarily Mr. Smith is one of those stoical types who can control his temper. NO CHANGE
3. For weeks in fact, neither of the neighbor’s two dogs would show its head.
4. Everyone in the neighborhood had his or her own version of the uproar that followed. (Heffernan & Lincoln, 356-357).
ASSIGNMENT # 3
HOMEWORK ANSWERS
1. Ten years ago the mineral rights to this land was sold to a mining company.
ANSWER: Ten years ago the mineral rights to this land were sold to a mining company.
2. Each of the students in our dorm have a serious complaint about living conditions.
ANSWER: Each of the students in our dorm has a serious complaint about living conditions.
3. Neither the students nor the instructor like this classroom.
ANSWER: Neither the students nor the instructor likes this classroom.
4. Neither Fred nor Mary expect to pass this course.
ANSWER: Neither Fred nor Mary expects to pass this course.
5. Anyone wanting to enhance their career should take a computer course.
ANSWER: Anyone wanting to enhance his or her career should take a computer course
ASSIGNMENT # 4: SENTENCE SHIFTS
1. People should keep themselves politically informed; otherwise, you will not be living up to your democratic responsibilities.
2. Barbara made the Dean's List and the Junior Achievement award was also won by her.
3. As soon as he walked into his dorm room, George sees the mess left by his roommate.
4. When one is being stalked by a bear, you should not snack on sardines.
5. First loosen the lug nuts, then you should jack up the car.
Your homework asked you to work on consistency in your writing by avoiding sentence shifts. As this is an important aspect of writing clear and consistent sentences, extra class work exercises have been provided with this lecture. These exercises are to be done for your benefit and do not need to be submitted with your homework assignment.
Shifts in point of view can damage writing coherence. It is important to be consistent in your writing by avoiding the following pitfalls:
1. Avoiding Shifts in Person: You have the choice in your writing of choosing to address first, second, or third person.
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“I” denotes first person: |
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I went to the store. |
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I saw the film. |
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I straightened the boardroom and prepared the manuals for tomorrow’s meeting. |
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Many works of fiction are written in first person to give the reader a sense of being part of the story. |
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“You” denotes second person |
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You should have a great sense of achievement upon finishing your project. |
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As a manager, you might have to complete payroll. |
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Before going home, you should turn off all the lights in the office. |
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In case you didn’t notice already, Writing I is written entirely in second person. |
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“He”, “she”, “it”, and “they” denote third person |
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He was late again today. |
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If they are planning to stay over, they must make reservations. |
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It looked over at its master and whined softly.
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Fiction writers often employ third person to allow the reader to get in the minds of all of the characters. Horror writer Stephen King uses third person for virtually all of his novels; thus with King’s writing, you really get to know all the characters and their motivation (which in King’s case is not always a pleasant experience as many of his character’s are twisted and psychotic individuals). |
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The problem with first, second, or third person comes when you do not stay with one usage throughout your writing. Switching from person to person causes confusion for your readers:
INCORRECT
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When you are alone, one is free to do whatever you want. |
The writer of the sentence above should decide if he or she wants to use second person (“you”) or third person (“one”) and stop jumping from one person to another.
CORRECT
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2nd Person: When you are alone, you are free to do whatever you want. |
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3rd person: When one is alone, one is free to do whatever one wants. |
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Print out and complete this exercise from Writing, A College Handbook for further practice in choosing and sticking with one person only.
EXERCISE # 1: REVISING A PASSAGE WITH INCONSISTENT PRONOUN PERSON USAGE
The following passage is marred by shifts in pronoun person usage. Decide which person you will be using (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) and revise the passage to make the pronouns consistent.
The job of being a counselor in a girl’s summer camp is not an easy one. You have to meet your responsibilities twenty-four hours a day and they may include such things as making sure all her girls attend all the camp meetings, overseeing the cleaning of your cabin, and giving her campers archery lessons. Because of the demands on us, we sometimes become tired and even cross. At these times everybody wants a break – a chance to go someplace else and relax. In a well-run camp you can do this; the director gives her a day off. After that she can resume her duties with a cheerful, positive attitude.
ANSWER:
(Written using second person)
The job of being a counselor in a girl’s summer camp is not an easy one. You have to meet your responsibilities twenty-four hours a day and they may include such things as making sure all your girls attend all the camp meetings, overseeing the cleaning of your cabin, and giving your campers archery lessons. Because of the demands on you, you sometimes become tired and even cross. At these times you want a break – a chance to go someplace else and relax. In a well-run camp you can do this; the director gives you a day off. After that you can resume your duties with a cheerful, positive attitude.
2. Avoiding Shifts in Tense
Consistent verb tense must also be maintained throughout writing to keep sentences consistent. Using the verb cook, the chart below details how verbs can be divided into the following categories:
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PRESENT cook |
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PRESENT PARTICIPLE cooking |
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PRESENT PERFECT have cooked |
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PAST cooked |
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PAST PARTICIPLE cooked |
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PAST PERFECT had cooked |
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FUTURE will cook |
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FUTURE PERFECT will have been cooking |
As with pronoun use, you must decide which verb tense you would like to use and maintain it consistently throughout your writing.
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Print out and complete this exercise from Writing, A College Handbook for further practice in choosing and sticking with one person only.
EXERCISE # 2: CORRECTING FAULTY TENSE SHIFTS
Decide which verb tense (past/present/future) the following passage should be written in and correct to make the verb tense consistent.
Since graduating from college, Susan has held a variety of political jobs. Her warm, friendly manner, together with her capacity for hard work, make her an ideal employee. Three years ago, she manages the reelection campaign of a New England governor. She had to talk to people in all parts of the state, trying to build support. Soon after the election, which turns out successfully for the governor, Susan went to Washington, D.C. to work for a senator. She had a high paying position; but being more interested in working creatively than in making money, she soon resigns, proclaiming, “Never have so many people done so little work for so much money.” Because she has so much experience, finding a new job was easy. She becomes an adviser to the New England Governors’ Conference on Energy. (Heffernan & Lincoln).
ANSWERS:
(Written in past tense)
Since graduating from college, Susan has held a variety of political jobs. Her warm, friendly manner, together with her capacity for hard work, made her an ideal employee. Three years ago, she managed the reelection campaign of a New England governor. She had to talk to people in all parts of the state, trying to build support. Soon after the election, which turned out successfully for the governor, Susan went to Washington, D.C. to work for a senator. She had a high paying position; but was more interested in working creatively than in making money, she soon resigned, proclaiming, “Never have so many people done so little work for so much money.” Because she had so much experience, finding a new job was easy. She became an adviser to the New England Governors’ Conference on Energy. (Heffernan & Lincoln).
3. Avoiding shifts in Active and Passive Voice
Heffernan & Lincoln make the following distinctions between active and passive voice: The voice of the verb depends on the relationship between the verb and its subject. When the subject of the verb acts, the verb is in the active voice; when the subject is acted upon, the verb is in the passive voice.
The active voice stresses the activity of a subject and helps to make a sentence direct, concise, and vigorous:
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The old woman threatened me with her umbrella. |
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The tornado flattened entire houses. |
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Each man kills the thing he loves |
The passive voice presents the subject as the target of an action and makes the sentence muddled, wordy and not clear and to the point.
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Entire houses were flattened by the tornado. |
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The barn was struck by a bolt of lightening. (p.406) |
INCORRECT:
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He delivered the plans for the apartment complex, and the building site was also inspected by him. |
CORRECT:
He delivered the plans for the apartment complex and inspected the building site.
As with pronouns and verb tenses, you must decide to use active or passive voice and then be consistent with your choice. Don’t jump from one voice to another, but maintain either active or passive voice throughout your writing. To communicate effectively, write the strong majority of your sentences in the active voice.
ASSIGNMENT # 4
HOMEWORK ANSWERS
1. People should keep themselves politically informed; otherwise, you will not be living up to your democratic responsibilities.
ANSWER: People should keep themselves politically informed; otherwise, they will not be living up to their democratic responsibilities.
2. Barbara made the Dean's List and the Junior Achievement award was also won by her.
ANSWER: Barbara made the Dean's List and won the Junior Achievement award.
3. As soon as he walked into his dorm room, George sees the mess left by his roommate.
ANSWER: As soon as he walked into his dorm room, George saw the mess left by his roommate.
4. When one is being stalked by a bear, you should not snack on sardines.
ANSWER: When one is being stalked by a bear, one should not snack on sardines.
5. First loosen the lug nuts, then you should jack up the car.
ANSWER: You first loosen the lug nuts, then you should jack up the car.
ASSIGNMENT # 5: CORRECT PRONOUN CASE
A-6
Select the appropriate pronoun from each of these pairs (in parentheses).
1. By (who, whom) was the job offer made?
2. The argument was among Bill, Terry and (I, me).
3. A committee of (we, us) concerned citizens is working to make our neighborhood safer.
4. (Us, we) students are being hurt by federal cuts in loan programs.
5. The liar is (he, him).
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This assignment asked you to correct faulty pronoun case. A pronoun’s case can be nominative, objective, or possessive and is determined by its role in the sentence: as a subject, or indicator of possession.
PRONOUN TYPES NOMINATIVE OBJECTIVE POSSESIVE I me my, mine you you yours he, she, it his, her, it hers, his, its we us our, ours they them their who whom whose
Pronoun case is one of those tricky grammar situations that a lot of beginning writers struggle with. Using possessive pronouns correctly is pretty self-explanatory while the rules for when to use nominative or objective pronouns can be confusing. Use your textbook rules to fall back on, but, in a pinch, here are some suggestions that might make your task of choosing correct pronoun case a little easier:
SNEAKY TIPS FOR CORRECT PRONOUN USAGE
1) When using a person’s name and a pronoun at the beginning of a sentence, always make sure to use the person’s name first. If you are using a person’s name and referring to yourself, use “I” not “me” to represent yourself. It is proper etiquette (and polite to do so) and will usually allow you to come up with the correct pronoun case without worry about the nominative rule. INCORRECT: Me and Amy are leaving tomorrow. CORRECT: Amy and I are leaving tomorrow. 2) When trying to determine whether or not to use nominative or objective pronouns in the middle or the end of sentences, try crossing out the direct object of the subject and insert both pronoun types to determine which sounds correct: The argument was between Stanley and me. To determine which pronoun case to use, cross out Stanley and re-read the sentence with both the nominative and objective pronoun. The argument was between me. The argument was between I. After reading both of these sentences, it should be obvious to you that the sentence that sounds most correct is: The argument was between Stanley and m 3) If confused about whether to use “we” or “us” in the beginning of a sentence, think of the United States Constitution which begins: “We the people . . .” 4. . If confused about whether to use who/whoeveror whom/whomever, substitute he and him in the clause where you are attempting to put who or whom. If he works – use who/whoever Who is arranging the conference? (He is arranging the conference.) Who booked the vacation to California? (He booked the vacation to California.) Who shall I say is calling? (I say he is calling.) Who did they say was chosen for the position? (They say he was chosen for the position.) Whoever wins the state final has a good chance at wining the national conference. (He wins the state final.) I will speak to whoever answers the phone. (He answers the phone.) Amy is the one who can best do the job. (He can best do the job.) John is the one who we expect will apply. (We expect he will apply). If him works – use whom/whomever Whom did you see today? (Did you see her today?) To whom were you talking? (Were you talking to him?) It depends on whom they meant. (They meant him.) I will speak to whomever you suggest. (You suggest him.) I need a worker whom I can trust. (I can trust him.) I hire whomever I can find (I can find him.) The question of whom we should call is the issue. (We should call him.) The person to whom I was referring to is Sarah Smith. (I was referring to him.) 5. If completely confused, turn the sentence around: The best candidate is (she/her) She is the best candidate or Her is the best candidate? Correct usage: The best candidate is she.
The guidelines suggested above should answer most of your pronoun case questions, however, refer to your textbook for any sentence you are writing that seems to be an exception to the above suggestions. ASSIGNMENT # 5 HOMEWORK ANSWERS Select the appropriate pronoun case from each of these pairs (in parentheses). 1. By (who, whom) was the job offer made? Answer: By whom was the job offer made? 2. The argument was among Bill, Terry and (I, me). Answer: The argument was among Bill, Terry, and me. 3. A committee of (we, us) concerned citizens is working to make our neighborhood safer. Answer: A committee of us citizens is working to make our neighborhood safer. 4. (Us, we) students are being hurt by federal cuts in loan programs. Answer: We students are being hurt by federal cuts in loan programs. 5. The liar is (he, him). Answer: The liar is he. |
ASSIGNMENT # 6: SEMI COLONS AND COLONS
A-8
Insert semicolons or colons as needed in these expressions:
1. June had finally arrived it was time to graduate.
2. I have two friends who are like brothers Sam and Daniel.
3. Joe did not get the job however, he was high on the list of finalists.
4. The wine was superb an 1898 Margaux.
5. Our student senators are Joan Blake, a geology major Helen Simms, a nursing major and Henry Drew, an English Major.
This assignment was a review of correct punctuation. According to Lannon: “Punctuation marks are like road signs and traffic signals. They govern reading speed and provide clues for navigation through a network of ideas; they mark intersections, detours and road repairs; they draw attention to points of interest along the route; and they mark geographic boundaries.”
Let’s review these traffic signals for writing:
PUNCTUATION MARKS
Period .
Signals a full stop in a sentence (1). Used also for abbreviations (2) and as a decimal point (3).
(1) Jason needs to see a doctor.
(2) Mr. Abner left early from the office.
(3) 5, 604.00
Question Mark ?
Used at end of interrogative sentence (one that asks a direct question)
Is this the right house?
Exclamation Mark !
Used at the end of a sentence indicating strong expression of feeling.
You are brilliant!
Not again!
Comma ,
Used to:
1) signal a pause
2) separate items in a list
1) Although he left early, he still missed the train.
Anna, a fellow writer, wants to help with the story outline.
2) Eric bought pears, apples, and walnuts for the dinner.
I need: Calculus, Biology, and Art History to graduate.
Many beginning writers have a hard time figuring out where commas go to indicate a pause in a sentence. When you are having a conversation, you don’t worry about where commas go, you separate your words with non-verbal pauses. Here is yet another area that reading your paper out loud will serve you well. Read the following sentence out loud:
“Ally” Amy screamed “Come here now!”
You should instinctively hear where the pauses (commas) should be placed.
“Ally,” Amy screamed, “Come here now!”
When in doubt about where to place commas, simply read the sentence out loud.
Semi-Colon ;
Semi-colons are super commas. They do the job no mere comma is capable of doing
Used for:
1) separation of independent clauses (2 sentences in one)
2) transitions, or
3) to differentiate items in a series already separated by commas.
1. Remember when we talked about comma splices? Semi colons are your best bet for avoiding comma splices:
COMMA SPLICE: Larry is a respected professor, he is loved by everyone.
CORRECT: Larry is a respected professor; he is loved by everyone.
2. Semi-colons should come before a transitional phrase in a sentence:
The apartment has been rented; however, a new place should open up in the summer.
3. Semi-colons help separate items in a series where commas are already in use:
Sheila is looking for employment in Kansas City, Kansas; West Chester, New York; Seattle, Washington; and San Francisco, California.
Colon :
Used to indicate a list is to follow, whether that list is an item, ratio or time.
The withdrawal symptoms of heroin addiction: shaking, vomiting, and hallucinations, can be controlled with methadone.
1:2
4:00
ASSIGNMENT # 6 asked you specifically to look at semi-colons and colons. As a writer, your task will be to understand which one does what and how to use both correctly.
ASSIGNMENT # 6
HOMEWORK ANSWERS
1. June had finally arrived it was time to graduate.
Answer: June had finally arrived; it was time to graduate.
2. I have two friends who are like brothers Sam and Daniel.
Answer: I have two friends who are like brothers: Sam and Daniel.
3. Joe did not get the job however, he was high on the list of finalists.
Answer: Joe did not get the job; however, he was high on the list of finalists.
4. The wine was superb an 1898 Margaux.
Answer: The wine was superb: an 1898 Margaux.
5. Our student senators are Joan Blake, a geology major Helen Simms, a nursing major and Henry Drew, an English major.
Answer: Our student senators are: Joan Blake, a geology major; Helen Simms, a nursing major; and Henry Drew, an English major.
ASSIGNMENT # 7: COMMA USAGE
A-9
Insert commas where needed in these sentences:
1. In modern society highways seem as necessary as food water or air.
2. Everyone though frustrated by pollution can play a part in improving the environment.
3. Professor Jones who has written three books is considered an authority in her field.
4. Amanda Ford of course is the best candidate for governor.
5. Terrified by the noise Sally ran never looking back.
6. One book however will not solve all your writing problems.
A-10
Eliminate needless or inappropriate commas from these sentences:
1. Students, who smoke marijuana, tend to do poorly in school.
2. As I started the car, I saw him, dash into the woods.
3. This has been a semester of happy, exciting, experiences.
4. Sarah mistakenly made dates on the same evening with Joe, and Bill, even though she had promised herself to be more careful.
5. In fact, a writer's reaction to criticism, is often defensiveness.
Assignment # 7 asked you to review correct comma usage. Remember commas are used to separate items in a list and to indicate pauses in a sentence. After completing this assignment, you should now be confident in comma use.
ASSIGNMENT # 7
HOMEWORK ANSWERS
A-9
Insert commas where needed in these sentences:
1. In modern society highways seem as necessary as food water or air.
Answer: In modern society, highways seem as necessary as food, water, or air.
2. Everyone though frustrated by pollution can play a part in improving the environment.
Answer: Everyone, though frustrated by pollution, can play a part in improving the environment.
3. Professor Jones who has written three books is considered an authority in her field.
Answer: Professor Jones, who has written three books, is considered an authority in her field.
4. Amanda Ford of course is the best candidate for governor.
Answer: Amanda Ford, of course, is the best candidate for governor.
5. Terrified by the noise Sally ran never looking back.
Answer: Terrified by the noise, Sally ran never looking back.
6. One book however will not solve all your writing problems.
Answer: One book, however, will not solve all your writing problems.
A-10
The commas in these sentences are overused. Remove any comma that is not necessary.
1. Students, who smoke marijuana, tend to do poorly in school.
Answer: Students who smoke marijuana tend to do poorly in school.
2. As I started the car, I saw him, dash into the woods.
Answer: As I started the car, I saw him dash into the woods.
3. This has been a semester of happy, exciting, experiences.
Answer: This has been a semester of boring, dreadful experiences.
4.Sarah mistakenly made dates on the same evening with Joe, and Bill, even though she had promised herself to be more careful.
Answer: Sarah mistakenly made dates on the same evening with Joe and Bill, even though she had promised herself to be more careful.
5. In fact, a writer's reaction to criticism is often defensiveness.
Answer: In fact, a writer’s reaction to criticism is often defensiveness.
ASSIGNMENT # 8: APOSTROPHES AND QUOTATION MARKS
A-11
Apostrophe/Quotation Marks
Insert apostrophes and quotation marks as needed in these sentences:
1. Our countrys future, as well as the worlds, depends on everyone working for a cleaner environment.
2. Once you understand the problem, Professor Jones explained, you find its worse than you possibly could have expected.
3. Can we help? asked the captain.
4. Its a shame that my dog had its leg injured in the accident.
How
to Improve Your Writing
