Grammar Book

Avoid overusing there is, there are, it is, it was, and so on. There is a case of meningitis that was reported in the newspaper. Correction

. Correction: A case of meningitis was reported in the newspaper .Even better: The newspaper reported a case of meningitis. (Active voice)

As a general rule, use a plural verb with two or more subjects when they are connected by and.

A car and a bike are my means of transportation.

Use active voice whenever possible. Active voice means the subject is performing the verb.

Active: Barry hit the ball.Passive: The ball was hit. Notice that the responsible party may not even appear when using passive voice.

_______are words that describe nouns or pronouns. They may come before the word they describe or they may follow the word they describe. A. Verbs b. Adjectives C. Similes D. adverbs.

Adjectives

_______words that modify everything but nouns and pronouns. They modify adjectives, verbs. It answers how, when, or where. A. Verbs b. Adjectives C. Similes D. adverbs.

Adverbs

A weak clause begins with words such as although, since, if, when, and because. Weak clauses cannot stand on their own.

Although she is hungry...If she is hungry...Since I am feeling well...

Who refers to people. That and which refer to groups or things.

Anya is the one who rescued the bird. Lokua is on the team that won first place.She belongs to an organization that specializes in saving endangered species.

if a word answers the question how, it is an adverb. If it can have an -ly added to it, place it there. Identify the adverb in this sentence: We performed bad/badly.

Badly

Of should never be used in place of have.

Correct: I should have done it. Incorrect: I should of done it.

Reflexive pronouns - myself, himself, herself, itself, themselves, ourselves, yourself, yourselves- should be used only when they refer back to another word in the sentence.

Correct: I worked myself to the bone. Incorrect: My brother and myself did it. The word myself does not refer back to another word.

You may end a sentence with a preposition. Just do not use extra prepositions when the meaning is clear without them.

Correct: Where did he go? Incorrect: Where did he go to?

Use similar grammatical form when offering several ideas. This is called parallel construction.

Correct: You should check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Incorrect: You should check your spelling, grammar, and punctuating.

Between refers to two. Among is used for three or more.

Divide the candy between the two of you. Divide the candy among the three of you.

The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, and somebody are singular and require singular verbs. Do not be misled by what follows of.

Each of the girls sings well. Every one of the cakes is gone. NOTE: Everyone is one word when it means everybody. Every one is two words when the meaning is each one.

A sentence fragment occurs when you have only a phrase or weak clause but are missing a strong clause.

Example of Sentence Fragment: After the show ended. Example of Sentence: After the show ended, we had coffee.

With words that indicate portions—percent, fraction, part, majority, some, all, none, remainder, and so forth —look at the noun in your of phrase (object of the preposition) to determine whether to use a singular or plural verb. If the object of the preposition is singular, use a singular verb. If the object of the preposition is plural, use a plural verb.

Fifty percent of the pie has disappeared. Pie is the object of the preposition of. Fifty percent of the pies have disappeared. Pies is the object of the preposition. One-third of the city is unemployed. One-third of the people are unemployed.

To determine whether to use whoever or whomever, here is the rule: him + he = whoever

Give it to whoever/whomever asks for it first. Give it to him. He asks for it first.Therefore, Give it to whoever asks for it first. We will hire whoever/whomever you recommend.

Use on with expressions that indicate the time of an occurrence.

He was born on December 23. We will arrive on the fourth.

When referring to health, use well rather than good.

I do not feel well. You do not look well today.

That introduces essential clauses while which introduces nonessential clauses.

I do not trust products that claim "all natural ingredients" because this phrase can mean almost anything. We would not know which products were being discussed without the that clause. The product claiming "all natural ingredients," which appeared in the Sunday newspaper, is on sale. The product is already identified. Therefore, which begins a nonessential clause.

Sentences often have more than one subject, more than one verb, or pairs of subjects and verbs. How many subjects and verbs do we have in this sentence? I like cake and he likes ice cream.

I like cake and he likes ice cream. Two pairs of subjects and verbs

Use than to show comparison. Use then to answer the question when.

I would rather go skiing than rock climbing. First we went skiing; then we went rock climbing.

To avoid confusion, don't use two negatives to make a positive.

Incorrect: He is not unwilling to help. Correct: He is willing to help.

Place modifiers near the words they modify.

Incorrect: I have some pound cake Mollie baked in my lunch bag. Correct: In my lunch bag, I have some pound cake that Mollie baked.

If you start a sentence with an action, place the actor immediately after or you will have created the infamous dangling modifier.

Incorrect: While walking across the street, the bus hit her. Correct: While walking across the street, she was hit by a bus. OR She was hit by a bus while walking across the street.

Subject pronouns are also used if they rename the subject. They follow to be verbs such as is, are, was, were, am, and will be.

It is he. This is she speaking. It is we who are responsible for the decision to downsize.

Possessive pronouns show ownership and never need apostrophes. Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs

It's a cold morning. The thermometer reached its highest reading.

Object pronouns are used everywhere else (direct object, indirect object, object of the preposition). Object pronouns are me, you, him, her, it, us, and them.

Jean talked to him. Are you talking to me?

Two singular subjects connected by or or nor require a singular verb.

My aunt or my uncle is arriving by train today.

When a singular and plural subject are connected by either/or or neither/nor, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.

Neither Jenny nor the others are available.

Two singular subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor require a singular verb

Neither Juan nor Carmen is available. Either Kiana or Casey is helping today with stage decorations.

When either and neither are subjects, they always take singular verbs.

Neither of them is available to speak right now. Either of us is capable of doing the job.

When I is one of the two subjects connected by either/or or neither/nor, put it second and follow it with the singular verb am.

Neither she nor I am going to the festival.

To find the subject and verb, always find the verb first. Then ask who or what performed the verb. Identify the subject and verb in this sentence: The jet engine passed inspection.

Passed is the verb. Who or what passed? The engine, so engine is the subject. If you included the word jet as the subject, lightning will not strike you. Technically, jet is an adjective here and is part of what is known as the complete subject.

The word like may be used as a preposition and in informal writing, as a conjunction. In formal writing, use as, as if, or as though rather than like as the conjunction.

Prepositional usage: You look so much like your mother. Conjunction usage: You look like you are angry.OR You look as if you are angry.

A _____ is a word that takes the place of a noun. It can be in one of three cases: Subject, Object, or Possessive. A. Verbs b. Adjectives C. Adverbs D. Pronouns.

Pronoun

A verb is a word that shows action. Identify the verb in this sentence: He ran around the block.

RAN

Sometimes the pronoun who, that, or which is the subject of a verb in the middle of the sentence. The pronouns who, that, and which become singular or plural according to the noun directly in front of them. So, if that noun is singular, use a singular verb. If it is plural, use a plural verb.

Salma is the scientist who writes/write the reports. The word in front of who is scientist, which is singular. Therefore, use the singular verb writes. He is one of the men who does/do the work. The word in front of who is men, which is plural. Therefore, use the plural verb do.

To be able to choose pronouns correctly, you must learn to identify clauses. A clause is a group of words containing a verb and subject. A strong clause can stand on its own.

She is hungry. I am feeling well today.

Never drop the -ly from an adverb when using the comparison form.

She spoke more quickly than he did.

What is the noun or pronoun that performs the verb? Subject or Object?

Subject

Use a singular verb with sums of money or periods of time.

Ten dollars is a high price to pay. Five years is the maximum sentence for that offense.

If this, that, these, or those has already introduced an essential clause, you may use which to introduce the next clause, whether it is essential or nonessential.

That is a decision which you must live with for the rest of your life. Those ideas, which we've discussed thoroughly enough, do not need to be addressed again.

The expression the number is followed by a singular verb while the expression a number is followed by a plural verb.

The number of people we need to hire is thirteen. A number of people have written in about this subject.

Sometimes the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides, or not. Ignore these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.

The politician, along with the newsmen, is expected shortly. Excitement, as well as nervousness, is the cause of her shaking.

When a singular subject is connected by or or nor to a plural subject, put the plural subject last and use a plural verb.

The serving bowl or the plates go on that shelf.

Collective nouns such as team and staff may be either singular or plural depending on their use in the sentence.

The staff is in a meeting. Staff is acting as a unit here. The staff are in disagreement about the findings.The staff are acting as separate individuals in this example. The sentence would read even better as: The staff members are in disagreement about the findings.

A special -ly rule applies when four of the senses - taste, smell, look, feel - are the verbs. Do not ask if these senses answer the question how to determine if -ly should be attached. Instead, ask if the sense verb is being used actively. If so, use the -ly.

The woman looked angry/angrily.Did the woman actively look with eyes or are we describing her appearance? We are only describing appearance, so no -ly.The woman looked angry/angrily at the paint splotches.Here the woman did actively look with eyes, so the -ly is added.

The words here and there have generally been labeled as adverbs even though they indicate place. In sentences beginning with here or there, the subject follows the verb.

There are four hurdles to jump.There is a high hurdle to jump.

These and those are plural, whether they are being used as adjectives or as pronouns. These points to something nearby while those points to something "over there."

These babies have been smiling for a long time. These are mine. Those babies have been crying for hours. Those are yours.

This and that are singular, whether they are being used as adjectives or as pronouns. This points to something nearby while that points to something "over there."

This dog is mine. That dog is hers.

When this, that, these, and those are followed by nouns, they are adjectives. When they appear without a noun following them, they are pronouns.

This house is for sale. This is an adjective here. This is for sale. This is a pronoun here.

To decide whether to use the subject or object pronoun after the words than or as, mentally complete the sentence.

Tranh is as smart as she/her. If we mentally complete the sentence, we would say, "Tranh is as smart as she is." Therefore, she is the correct answer. Zoe is taller than I/me.

Use concrete rather than vague language.

Vague: The weather was of an extreme nature on the west coast. Concrete: California had very cold weather last week.

Use the he/him method to decide which word is correct. he = who. him = whom

Who/Whom wrote the letter? He wrote the letter. Therefore, who is correct. For who/whom should I vote? Should I vote for him? Therefore, whom is correct. We all know who/whom pulled that prank.

When the entire whoever/whomever clause is the subject of the verb that follows the clause, look inside the clause to determine whether to use whoever or whomever.

Whoever is elected will serve a four-year term. Whoever is elected is the subject of will serve. Whoever is the subject of is. Whomever you elect will serve a four-year term. Whomever you elect is the subject of will serve. Whomever is the object of you select

Identify the subject in this sentence: The woman hurried.

Woman is the subject.

If a sentence contains more than one clause, isolate the clauses so that you can decide which pronoun is correct.

[Although she is hungry,] [she will give him some of her food.]

Subject pronouns are used when the pronoun is the subject of the sentence. You can remember subject pronouns easily by filling in the blank subject space for a simple sentence.

______ did the job. I, you, he, she, it, we, and they all fit into the blank and are, therefore, subject pronouns.

The basic rule states that a singular subject takes a singular verb, while a plural subject takes a plural verb.

talks, talk. Which one is the singular form? Which word would you use with he? We say, "He talks." Therefore, talks is singular. We say, "They talk." Therefore, talk is plural.