Grammar Quiz Study Guide

Use quotation marks to (a) enclose the exact words of a speaker; (b) enclose the titles of articles, chapters, or other short works; and (c) enclose specific definitions of words or expressions

"If you make your job important," said the consultant, "it's quite likely to return the favor." (quotation marks enclose the exact words of a speaker) The recruiter said that she was looking for candidates with good communication skills. (Omit quotation marks because the exact words of the speaker are not quoted) In The Wall Street Journal (italicized), I saw an article titled "Communication for Global Markets." (quotation marks enclose the title of an article. Italics identify names of newspapers, magazines, and books) The term videosize means "to turn your message into a video for ease of access." (quotation marks enclose the definition of a word)

sentence fragments

-an incomplete sentence -avoid these

How can you recognize a complete sentence?

-includes a subject (a noun or pronoun that interacts with a verb) -includes a verb (a word expressing action or describing a condition) -makes sense (comes to a closure) -a complete sentence is an independent clause (expresses a complete thought-subject and predicate)

Checkpoint sentences

1. Although it began as a side business for Disney, destination weddings now represent a major income source. 2. About 2,000 weddings are held yearly, which is twice the number just ten years ago. 3. Weddings may take place in less than one hour; however, the minimum charge is $25,000. 4. Limousines line up outside Disney's wedding pavilion; they are scheduled in two hour intervals. 5. Most couples prefer a traditional wedding; others request a fantasy experience.

Comma-splice example and improved

1. Disney World operates in Orlando, EuroDisney serves Paris. 2. Disney World operates in Orlando; EuroDisney serves Paris OR Disney World operates in Orlando, and EuroDisney serves Paris.

Past participle tense requires verbs such as has, had, have, would have, and could have. Example of wrong vs. right

1. If he had came earlier, we could have saw the video. 2. If he had come earlier, we could have seen the video.

Run-on sentence example and improved

1. Rachel considered an internship she also thought about graduate school. 2. Rachel considered an internship, and she also thought about graduate school OR Rachel considered an internship; she also thought about graduate school.

Example of fragment and improved

1. The recruiter requested a writing sample. Even though the candidate seemed to communicate well. 2. The recruiter requested a writing sample, even though the candidate seemed to communicate well.

run-on sentences

A run-on sentence consists of two or more independent clauses that are run together without proper punctuation -avoid these -a sentence with two independent clauses must be joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, or, nor, but) or by a semicolon (;)

capitalize the main words in the specific names of departments, division, or committees within business organizations. Do not capitalize general references

All forms are available from our Department of Human Resources The Consumer Electronics Division launched an upbeat marketing campaign We volunteered for the Employee Social Responsibility Committee. You might send an application to their personnel department

Using the subjunctive mood to express hypothetical (untrue) ideas

Always use "were" not "was" in clauses introduced by if, as though, or wish Ex. If I were (not was) you, I would take a writing course Ex. Sometimes I wish I were (not was) the manager of this department. -if the statement could possibly be true, use was

Use adverbs, not adjectives, to describe or limit the action of verbs -use adjectives after linking verbs

Andrew said he did well (not good) on the exam. (The adverb well describes how he did) After its tune-up, the engine is running smoothly (not smooth). (the adverb smoothly describes the verb phrase "is running") Don't take the manager's criticism personally (not personal). (the adverb personally tells how to take the criticism) She finished her homework more quickly (not quicker) than expected. (the adverb more quickly explains how she finished her hw)

Use a question mark after a direct question and after statements with questions appended

Are they hiring at BioTech, Inc.? Most of their training is in-house, isn't it?

Use commas to separate introductory clauses and certain phrases from independent clauses -a comma separates the introductory dependent clause from the main clause

As expected, additional explanations are necessary. (use a comma even if the introductory clause omits the understood subject: as we expected) In the spring of last year, we opened our franchise. (use a comma after a phrase containing 4 or more words) Having considered several options, we decided to invest. (use a comma after and introductory verbal phrase)

If the ownership words ends in an s sound and is plural, add only an apostrophe

Both investors' portfolios showed diversification. (add only an apostrophe because the ownership word investors is plural and ends in an s) Some workers' benefits will cost more.

For jargon, slang, words used in special sense such as humor or irony, and words following stamped or marked, some writers use italics. other writers use quotation marks

Computer criminals are often called hackers (italicized)

use a colon after business letter salutations and to introduce long quotations (use a comma to introduce short quotations)

Dear Mr. Duran: In discussing social media conversations, the consultant said: "blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah"

capitalize product names only when they refer to trademarked items; do not capitalize the common names following manufacturer's names

Dell laptop computer Everyday Energizer Coca-Cola Skippy peanut butter Big Mac sandwich

Use commas to separate three or more items (words, phases, or short clauses) in a series

Downward communication delivers job instructions, procedures, and appraisals. In preparing your resume, try to keep it brief, make it easy to read, and include job-related information.

for nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, sh form the plural by adding es

Ex. All businesses must pay their taxes Ex. The Lopezes purchased two watches as graduation gifts

Use possessive pronouns to show ownership (hers, yours, whose, ours, theirs, its) -require no apostrophes

Ex. All reports except yours (not your's) have to be rewritten. Ex. The apartment and its (not it's) contents are hers (not her's) until June

subjects joined by "or" or "nor" may require singular or plural verbs- the verb should agree with the closer subject

Ex. Either the software or the printer is (not are) causing the glitch (closer subject is printer) Ex. Neither St. Louis nor Chicago has (not have) a change of winning (verb controlled by Chicago)

use singular verbs for most indefinite pronouns

Ex. Everyone in both offices was (not were) given a bonus Ex. Each of the employees is (not are) being interviewed

Use "who" or "whoever" for subjective-case constructions and "whom" or "whomever" for objective-case constructions (in determining the correct choice, it is helpful to substitute he for who or whoever and him for whom or whomever)

Ex. For whom was this software ordered? (software was ordered for him) Ex. Who did you say called? (He called) Ex. Give the supplies to whoever asked for them (he asked)

when a pronoun appears in combo with a noun or another pronoun, ignore the extra noun or pronoun and its conjunction

Ex. Jason asked Jennifer and me (not I) to lunch. (ignore "Jennifer and") Ex. The waiter brought hamburgers to Jason and me (not I). (ignore Jason and)

Use a semicolon to join closely related independent clauses

Ex. Learning history is easy; learning its lessons is almost impossible. Ex. Serena wanted a luxury apartment located near campus; however, she couldn't afford the rent. Faulty: There is no point in speaking; unless you can improve on silence. (the second half of sentence is a dependent clause) Improved: There is no point in speaking unless you can improve on silence. Faulty: Although I cannot change the direction of the wind; I can adjust my Sauls to reach my destination. (the first clause could not stand alone) Improved: Although I cannot change the direction of the wind, I can adjust my sails to reach my destination.

Make pronouns agree in number and gender with the words to which they refer (their antecedents) -when gender of antecedent is known, make the pronoun agree with it

Ex. One of the men failed to fill in "his" name on the application. (the singular pronoun "his" refers to the singular "one") Ex. Each of the female nurses was escorted to "her car". (the singular pronoun her and singular noun car are necessary because they refer to the singular subject Each)

Make sure subject agree with verbs despite intervening phrases and clauses

Ex. Our study of annual budgets, five-year plans, and sales proposals is (not are) progressing on schedule. (the subject is study)

Use objective-case pronouns as objects of prepositions and verbs

Ex. Send the email to her and me (not she and I). (the grounds her and me are objects of the preposition "to") Ex. The CEO appointed Rick and him (not he) to the committee. (the pronoun him is the object of the verb appointed)

Nouns ending in y form the plural in two ways. When the letter before y is a vowel, form the plural by adding s only. When the letter before y is a consonant (all letters other than vowels), form the plural by changing the y to ie and adding s

Ex. Several attorneys worked on the privacy cases. Ex. Both cities provided extensive libraries for citizens.

Use subjective-case pronouns as subjects of verbs and as complements (complements are words that follow linking verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been and rename the words too which they refer)

Ex. She and I (not her and me) will be collaborating. (use a subjective case pronoun as the subject of the verb phrase "will be collaborating") Ex. It must have have been she (not her) who called last night. (use a subjective case pronoun as a subject complement)

with subjects joined by "and", use plural verbs

Ex. The CEO and one of his assistants have (no has) ordered a limo Ex. Working out in the gym and jogging every day are (not is) how he keeps fit

Use singular or plural verbs for collective nouns, depending on whether the members of the group are operating as a unit or individually

Ex. The Finance Committee is working harmoniously. (Committee is singular because its action is unified.) Ex. The Planning Committee are having difficulty agreeing. (Committee is plural because its members are acting individually, should add "members" after committee)

use pronouns ending in "self" only when they refer to previously mentioned nouns our pronouns

Ex. The President himself ate all the chocolate. Ex. Send the chocolates to Mike or me (not myself)

Polite requests often sound like questions. To determine the punctuation, apply the action test. If the request prompts an action, use a period. If it prompts a verbal response, use a question mark.

Faulty: Could you please correct the balance on my next statement? (this polite request prompts an action rather than a verbal response). Improved: Could you please correct the balance on my next statement.

Avoid unnecessary commas -do not use commas between sentence elements that belong together -do not automatically insert commas before every and or at points where your voice might drop if you were saying the sentence out loud

Faulty: Growth will be spurred by the increasing complexity of business operations, and by large employment gains in trade and services. (a comma unnecessarily precedes and) Faulty: Our honor society has, at this time, over 50 members. (commas unnecessarily separate a prepositional phrase from the sentence)

be sure that pronouns such as it, which, this, and that refer to clear antecedents

Faulty: Our office recycles as much paper as possible because "it" helps the environment. (does "it" refer to paper, recycling, or office?) Improved: Our office recycles as much paper as possible because "such an effort" helps the environment. (effort supplies a concrete noun for the vague pronoun it)

Use commas to set off internal sentence interrupters -sentence interrupters may be verbal phrases, dependent clauses, contrasting elements, or parenthetical expressions

Harvard researchers, working steadily for 18 months, developed a new cancer therapy. (use commas to set off nonessential dependent clauses)

capitalize all words of four or more letters in titles, subject lines, or headings (unless any of those words are the first or last words)

I enjoyed the book A Customer Is More Than a Name. (book title) Team Meeting to Discuss Deadlines Rescheduled for Friday. (subject line)

Example of past participle

I know the answer now; I wish I had known it yesterday.

Example of past tense

If I had seen the shipper's bill, I would have paid it immediately.

Be especially alert to the following prepositions except, between, but, and like (use objective pronouns as their objects)

Just between you and me (not I), that mineral water comes from the tap. Everyone except Robert and him responded to the invite.

do not capitalize titles following names unless they are part of an address

Mark Yoder, president of Yoder Enterprises, hired all employees. Paula Beech, director of Human Resources, interviewed all candidates. Send the package to Amanda Lopez, Advertising Manager, Cambridge Publishers, etc.....

use one period to end a statement, command, indirect question, or polite request. Never use two periods.

Matt worked at BioTech, Inc. (statement. use only one period) Deliver it before 5 p.m. (command. use only one period) Stacy asked whether she could use the car next weekend. (indirect question) Will you please send me an employment application. (polite request)

Capitalize courtesy, professional, religious, government, family, and business titles when they precede names

Mr. Jameson, Mrs. Alvarez, and Ms. Robinson (courtesy titles) Professor Andrews, Dr. Lee (professional titles) Rabbi Cohen, Paster Williams (religious titles) Senator Tom Harrison, Mayor Jackson (government titles) Vice President Morris, Budget Director Lopez (business titles)

Use figures to express money, dates, clock time, decimals, and percentages

One item costs only $1.95; most, however, were priced between $10 and $35. We scheduled a meeting for May 12. We expect deliveries at 10:15 a.m. and again at 4 p.m. When sales dropped 4.7%, net income fell 9.8 percent.

do not capitalize a title when it is followed by an appositive (when the title is followed by a noun that renames or explains it)

Only one professor, Jonathan Marcus, favored a tuition hike. Local candidates counted on their governor, Lee Jones, to help raise funds.

generally, do not capitalize a title that replaces a perso'ns name

Only the president, his chief of staff, and one senator made the trip. The director of marketing and the sales manager will meet at 1 p.m.

use a combination of words and figures to express sums of 1 million and over; use words for small fractions

Orion lost $62.9 million in the latest fiscal year on revenues of $584 million. Only one half of the registered voters turned out.

use figures to express most references to numbers 11 and over

Over 150 people from 53 companies attended the two-day workshop. A four-ounce serving of Haagan-Dazs ice cream contains 300 calories.

capitalize only specific academic courses and degrees

Professor Donna Hernandez, PhD, will teach Accounting 121 next spring. James Barker, who holds bachelor's and master's degrees, teaches marketing. Jessical enrolled in classes in management, English, and business law.

Before inserting a comma, test the two independent clauses. can each of these stand alone as a complete sentence? If either is incomplete, omit the comma

Promoters said the investment offer was for a limited time and could not be extended even one day. (omit comma before and because the second part of the sentence is not a complete independent clause)

Capitalize proper nouns and proper adjectives

Proper nouns: Michelle Deluca Everglades National Park College of the Redwoods Empire State Building Proper adjectives: Hispanic markets Swiss chocolates Italian dressing

Use a semicolon to separate items in a series when one or more of the items contains internal commas

Representatives from as far away as Blue Bell, Pennsylvania; Bowling Green, Ohio; and Phoenix, Arizona, attended the conference. Stories circulated about Henry Ford, Ford Motor Company; Lee Iacocca, former CEO, Chrysler Motor Company; and Shoichiro Toyota, founder Toyota Motor Company.

Use parentheses to set off nonessential sentence elements, such as explanations, directions, questions, and references

Researchers find that the office grapevine (see Chapter 1 for more discussion) carries surprisingly accurate information. Only two dates (February 15 and March 1) are suitable for the meeting.

capitalize most nouns followed by numbers or letters (except in page, paragraph, line, and verse references)

Room 14, Figure 2.1, Exhibit A, Model 233

Use commas appropriately in dates, addresses, geographical names, degrees, and long numbers

September 30, 1993, is his birthday. (for dates use commas before and after the year) Send the application to James Kirby, 20045 45th Avenue, Lynnwood, WA 98036, as soon as possible. Lisa expects to move from Cupertino, California, to Sonoma, Arizona, next fall.

Example of dependent clause and independent clause

Since she became a supervisor (dependent clause), she had to write more memos and reports (independent clause).

Use a colon after a complete thought that introduces a list of items

The following cities are on the tour: Louisville, Memphis, and New Orleans. Faulty: Three Big Macs were ordered by: Pam, Jim, and Lee. (do not use a colon after an incomplete sentence) Improved: Three Big Macs were ordered by Pam, Jim, and Lee. Faulty: Other items they ordered were: fries, cokes, and salads. (do not use a colon after an incomplete statement) Improved: Other items that they ordered were fries, Coles, and salads.

Use a comma before the coordinating conjunction in a compound sentence -common coordinating conjunctions (and, or, nor, but) -when coordinating conjunctions join two independent clauses, commas are needed

The investment sounded too good to be true, and many investors were dubious about it (use a comma before the coordinating conjunction and in a compound sentence)

Example of present tense

The package came yesterday, and Kevin knew what it contained

If ownership word does end in an s sound and is singular, add an apostrophe and s

The witness's testimony was critical. (add 's because the ownership word witness is singular and ends in an s) The boss's cell phone rang during the meeting.

Use a dash to (a) set off parenthetical elements containing internal commas, (b) emphasize a sentence interruption, or (c) separate an introductory list from a summarizing statement.

Three top students--Gene Engle, Donna Hersh, and Mika Sato--won awards. (Use dashes to set off elements with internal commas.) Executives at Apple--despite rampant rumors in the stock market--remained quiet regarding dividend earnings. (use dashes to emphasize a sentence interruption) Japan, Taiwan, and Turkey--these were areas hard hit by recent earthquakes. (use a dash to separate an introductory list from a summarizing statement)

use a possessive pronoun or add an apostrophe and s to make a noun possessive when it precedes a gerund (a verb form used as a noun)

We all protested Laura's (not Laura) smoking. (add an apostrophe and s to the noun preceding the gerund) His (not him) talking on his cell phone angered movie-goers. (use a possessive pronoun before the gerund) I appreciate your (not you) filling in for me while I was gone. (use a possessive pronoun before the gerund)

If an ownership word does not end in an s sound, add an apostrophe and s, whether the word is singular or plural

We hope to show profit in one year's time. (add 's because the ownership word year is singular and does not end in s) The children's teacher assigned computer problems. (add 's because the ownership word children, although it is plural, does not end in s)

Use word form to express (a) numbers ten and under and (b) numbers beginning sentences

We received six text messages from four sales reps. Fifteen customers responded to our three cell phone ads today. A total of 155 smartphones were awarded as prizes.

Hyphenate two or more adjectives that are joined to create a compound modifier before a noun

You need an easy-to-remember email address and a one-page resume. Person-to-person networking continues to be the best way to find a job. (But adverbs ending in -ly like "newly enacted law" would not be hyphenated)

past participle

a participle that expresses completed action (ex. I have - been, begun, broken, brought)

Fragments can often be identified by the words that introduce them --

although, as, because, even, except, for example, if, instead, of, since, so, such as, that, which, and when -these words introduce dependent clauses (contain subject and verb but does not express complete thought) -make sure such clauses are always connected to independent clauses

capitalize names of geographic locations, capitalize north, south, east, west, and their derivatives only when they represent specific geographic regions

from the Pacific Northwest living in the West peace in the Middle East heading northwest on the highway west of the city western Oregon, southern Ohio a location east of the middle of the city

Don't confuse possessive pronouns and contractions -contractions are shortened forms of subject-verb phrases

it is = it's there is = there's who is = who's they are = they're

do not capitalize family titles used with possessive pronouns

my mother, his father, your cousin

the most frequent mistake in tenses results from substituting ____ for ____

past participle for past tense

past tense

shows action that has already happened (ex. Yesterday I - was, began, broke, brought)

present tense

shows action that is happening now (ex. Today I - am, begin, break, bring)

pronouns

substitutes for nouns

Objective pronouns

used for objects of prepositions and objects of verbs me, us, you, him, her, it, them, whom, whomever

Subjective (nominative) pronouns

used for subjects of verbs and subject complements I, we, you, he, she, it, they, who, whoever

Possessive pronouns

used to show possession my, mine, our, ours, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, their, theirs, whose

In joining independent clauses, beware of....

using a comma and words such as consequently, furthermore, however, therefore, then, and thus -these conjunctive adverbs require semicolons

Comma-splice sentences

when a writer joins (splices together) two independent clauses without using a coordinating conjunction (and, or, nor, but) -avoid these