Grammar Study Guide

boarder vs border

-A boarder is someone who rents your extra bedroom: -Grandma charges each boarder $500. -A border is a boundary: -We planted maple trees at the border of Uncle Buck's sugarcane field.

a part/ apart

-A part (two words) means "a piece of something." -Tré wants to be a part of the Tiger Nation. -Apart (one word) means separated by distance. - Romeo and Juliet were apart for three weeks. -Apart (one word) can also mean besides: -Apart from peanut butter and jelly, C.J. eats only broccoli and Zapp's potato chips.

accept vs except

-Accept (verb) means to receive: -Addie accepted the golden trophy for best pencil twirler. -Except means but, to exclude or to leave out: -Micah likes all candy except gummy bears.

affect vs effect

-Affect is usually a verb and means influence or change: -The weather affected Rocco's skydiving team tryouts. -Effect is usually a noun and means a result or influence: -The movie "Jaws" had a lasting effect on Taj, who refused to go swimming for seven years.

amount vs number

-Amount refers to things you can't count: -love, faithfulness, rain, milk or enthusiasm -Number refers to things you can count: -the number of raindrops or gallons of milk, people in Tiger Stadium, pencils, and AP Style rules.

anxious vs eager

-Anxious has is to be worried, disturbed or distressed. -Eager is a hopeful anticipation. -I was anxious about my first AP Style exam. -I was eager to be finished with it.

Parentheses

-Avoid parentheses because they are jarring to the reader. If you need parentheses to clarify a direct quote, it's better to paraphrase the statement. -The temptation to use parentheses is a sign that your sentence has taken a bad turn. Write the sentence another way.

compliment vs complement

-Compliment: To praise someone. -Serena complimented Jennifer for being a talented violinist. -Complement: To enhance or complete. - Shawna's feather boa complemented her hot pink skirt.

compose vs comprise

-Compose means to create, put something in order, to combine: -Herbert can compose a song in five minutes. -Comprise is an active voice verb meaning to contain: -The U.S. comprises 50 states. -Composed of is an option in wording the previous example: The U.S. is composed of 50 states. -Comprised of is incorrect. Don't say it.

Commas with adjectives

-Coordinate adjectives are listed in a row and separately modify the noun. You can rearrange them, and the phrase still makes sense. Separate these with commas: -the big, hairy beast ... an tiny, prickly caterpillar -Cumulative adjectives are listed before the noun, but they don't separately modify the noun. If you rearrange them, the phrase won't work: -the white picket fence ... the red fire engine. -The noun and the adjective before it (fire engine, picket fence) are a unit. -How do you know whether to put commas between adjectives? If you can switch the adjectives around and the phrase makes sense, then they are coordinate adjectives and need commas: -the big, hairy beast ... the hairy, big beast (You can switch the adjectives, so use commas.) -BUT: the white picket fence ... the picket white fence (These switches don't make sense, so don't use commas.)

criterion vs criteria

-Criterion = one: -The only criterion for entry is a $10 fee. -Criteria = more than one: -Julie met all seven criteria for the president's position.

Commas in series

-Don't put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series: -The flag is red, white and blue. -To avoid confusion, put a comma before the final conjunction if one of the elements in the series contains a conjunction: -I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast. -Use a comma before the final conjunction to help the reader with a longer or more complicated series of phrases: -The main points to consider are whether the athletes are skillful enough to compete, they have the stamina to endure the training, and they have the proper mental attitude.

emigrate vs immigrate

-Emigrate: leave a country. (Emigrate = exit.) -My grandfather emigrated from Russia in 1945. -Immigrate: come into a country. (Immigrate = into) -George immigrated to the U.S. when he was in his 20s.

every day / everyday

-Every day (two words) describes how often something occurs. The word every modifies the noun day: -Minerva eats a wedding cake donut from Mr. Ronnie's Donut Shop every day. -Everyday (one word) is an adjective that describes something common or occurring every day: -Minerva's donut obsession is an everyday event.

farther vs further

-Farther refers to physical distance: -Marcel trembled as he walked farther into the 13th Gate. -Further refers to an extension of time or degree: -Nan will look further into the mystery of the disappearing donut.

subjective pronouns

-I, she, they, we and he are subjective pronouns, and they are used as the subject of a sentence. -She was grouchy because the cat meowed all night. (she = subject)

its/ it's

-Its = a possessive pronoun and does not have an apostrophe: -It's = It is (a contraction)

lay vs lie

-Lay: an action word that takes a direct object. -Example: Please lay the paper on my desk. -Laid: past tense of lay. -Example: Martha laid her paper on the desk, and someone took it. -Lie: To recline (does not take a direct object). -Example: I will lie down. -Lay: past tense of lie. -Example: Greta lay on the sofa all weekend after she finished her exams.

lead vs led

-Lead (rhymes with "seed") means to show the way or take charge: -We followed Max's lead as he taught us how to dance the rhumba. -Led is the past tense of "lead." -Henry led the parade of misfits through the Quad. -Lead (rhymes with "shed) is a metal. -Lead blocks the effects of kryptonite.

log in vs login

-Log in is a verb - Don't forget to log in to your computer when class starts. -Login is an adjective: -I can't remember my login ID.

loose vs lose

-Loose is an adjective. It describes a noun: -Marvin has a loose tooth. -Fred's belt is loose. -Lose is a verb. It describes an action: -Sally didn't want to lose her money, so she it under her mattress.

media vs medium

-Medium is singular. -Radio is her favorite medium for news. -Media takes a plural verb, especially when referring to individual outlets, and is often preceded by the word "the." -Uncle Joe believes the media are biased. -Use with singular verb when referring to media as a group: -The media asks questions political candidates often avoid answering. -Social media follows the same guidelines: -Social media (plural) dominate Carolyn's social life.

Modifiers

-Modifiers (word or phrase) add detail to a sentence. -Sitting on the edge of her seat, Jenn waited to hear her name on the roster. -Martie and I spent the afternoon in our garage looking for the key to the pool house.

past vs passed

-Past refers to time that has gone by or to a distance: -The photos reminded Charlie of his past. -Police drove past Charmaine's lemonade stand. -Passed describes the action of passing. It is always a verb. -Fred passed the gravy to Aunt Ruth. -Sydney passed his math test for the first time since junior high school.

Quotation Marks

-Periods and commas always go inside the quotation marks. Always. -The dash, semicolon, question mark and exclamation point go inside the quotation marks when they apply to the quoted matter only. -They go outside when they apply to the whole sentence. -Each holiday season our family sings "Silent Night": our favorite Christmas carol. -She asked, "How can you say I am not a good cook?" (The entire direct quote is a question.) -Have you read "Tom Sawyer"? (The question is not a direct quote.) -Partial quotes are part of the sentence in which they reside, so they don't need special introductory punctuation. 0Don't use partial quotes if you don't have the speaker's entire sentence. Paraphrase instead. NOTE: It's best to avoid partial quotes unless the word/phrase is unique and reveals something about the speaker's personality: -Murray said the opera singer sounded like "a wounded red howler monkey." -Do not create a partial quote to report a few ordinary words a speaker used. -Wrong: The senator said he would "go home to Michigan" if he lost the election. -Better: The senator said he would go home to Michigan if he lost the election. -If a partial quote is used, do not put quotation marks around words the speaker could not have used. -Suppose the speaker said, "I am horrified at your slovenly manners." -Wrong: She said she "was horrified at their slovenly manners." --Right: She said she was horrified at their "slovenly manners." -For quotes within quotes, alternate between double quotation marks ("or") and single marks ('or'): -"Read 'To Kill a Mockingbird' before tomorrow afternoon," the teacher ordered.

Noun/Pronoun Agreement

-Personal pronouns like he, she or they need an antecedent (the noun to which the pronoun later refers). -Montegue believes he is a knight in shining armor. Montegue is the antecedent for he. This keeps you from repeating "Montegue, Montegue, Montegue." Instead, you can substitute "he." -Singular nouns take singular pronouns: Clement insists he can yodel. -Plural nouns take plural pronouns: LSU students wear their purple T-shirts on game day -The baseball player and batboy ate their weight in popcorn. -Each baseball player and batboy ate his weight in popcorn. -Every baseball player, coach and batboy ate his weight in popcorn.

Apostrophes

-Plural words do not need an apostrophe: lions, tigers, bears, aardvarks. -Plural letters do need an apostrophe for clarification: -Sam had three C's on his grade sheet. -Plural numbers don't need an apostrophe: -Diane is in her 20s. -Hank was born in the 1950s. -Apostrophes are place holders for missing numbers or letters: -Big hair was popular in the '80s. -Marva won't let her dog into the house -Apostrophes show possession: -Solomon's skateboard also plays music. -The musicians' first song was a dud. -Note: For proper nouns, follow the previous rule unless the name ends in "s." In that case, add just an apostrophe: James' flashlight, Julius' orange -Use a possessive form after only the last word is the ownership is joint: -Fred and Sylvia's Chihuahua ... Martin and Snerdley's foosball trophy

pour vs pore

-Pour means to flow, to tip from a container. -Let's pour eggnog into the punch. -Pore means to gaze attentively. -Alexi will pore over her AP Style notes before the exam.

Colon

-Precede a colon with a complete sentence. - Ex: She considered three variables: time, money and effort. -Wrong: Bernard's family was: large, loud and lovable. -Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence: -Franklin uttered only one sentence: Make my day.

principal vs principle

-Principal is the chief administrator of a school: -Mr. Snoot is my favorite high school principal. -Principal can also be an adjective, meaning "primary" or "most important." -Carly was the principal ballerina in our version of "The Nutcracker." -Principle is a basic truth or theory, a law or fact of nature that describes how something works: -Marcy, a mass communication major, could never understand the principles of geometry.

stationary vs stationery

-Stationary means standing still: -The Tiger Band was stationary as Mike danced through the crowd. -Stationery means writing paper: -Jolene writes letters on green stationery.

than vs then

-Than introduces a comparison: -Malcolm is funnier than his brother. • Then introduces a time element: -We studied for the test and then went to Louie's for breakfast.

Pronoun Problems

-The problem occurs when the sentence has compound subjects or objects -Margo and I text every day. -Barney gave his purple backpack to Danny and me -To select the correct pronoun, ignore its partner: -Margo and I text every day. -Barney gave his purple backpack to Danny and me.

Subject/Verb Agreement

-The subject and verb must agree in number, which means they need to be either singular or plural. - Carlton's shoes are too big for him. (plural). -Not: Carlton's shoes is too big for him. -However, when using "or" or "nor," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. -Neither the team members nor Fletcher wants to practice for the championship game. -Either mom or her sisters are going to volunteer for the holiday bazaar. -Watch out for "decoys": descriptive phrases/clauses that separate the subject from its verb. -The group of girls wants to go shopping. -Group is the subject; wants is the verb. The phrase "of girls" is a decoy. It describes the group. Ignore decoys when you pick the verb. -The committee of former totem pole carvers votes Friday. Committee (subject) votes (verb) - "of former totem pole carvers" is a decoy and describes the committee.

Commas after intro phrases/clauses

-Use a comma after an introductory clause. A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb. -Some are dependent: If you shout at me ... -Some are independent: I will cry (a complete sentence). -Introductory clauses begin with words like when, which, while, as, since, if, although, because, before, after. - Introductory clauses prepare the way for the complete thought that follows: -When Mabeline finishes her speech, we will all be six years older.. -To begin preparing for the marathon, runners should exercises two hours each day.

Commas in compound sentences

-Use a comma before a FANBOYS conjunction in a sentence with two independent clauses (complete sentences). -FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so -Foley jumped on the curb, and Franklin ran across the street. -Blake put his money in the bank, but Carolyn spent her savings at the mall. -Students who hate the morning should schedule later classes, or they should get to bed earlier. -But: Carolyn spent all of her money because she wanted new boots. (Because is not a FANBOY, so don't put a comma before it.)

among vs between

-Use among for three or more people or groups: -Johnston passed the news among his 14 friends. -Use among for a group: -The news of the 75 percent sale spread quickly among the shoppers. • Use between for two people or distinct groups: -She sat between Sally and Suzy. -The debate will occur between the top candidates and their challengers.

ensure vs insure

-Use ensure to mean guarantee: -Uncle Murphy took steps to ensure his toupee fit correctly. -Use insure for references to insurance: -The policy insures his car against zombie attacks.

fewer vs less

-Use fewer for individual items/people you can count: -She had fewer than 10 items in her cart. -Fewer than 20 applicants qualified for the job. -Use less for bulk or quantity: -Sandra had less than a gallon of milk in her refrigerator. -Wrong: She was fewer than 60 years old. (Years refers to a period of time and not individual years.) -Instead, say this: She was less than 60 years old. -Right: I had less than $50 in my pocket. (An amount) -BUT: I had fewer than 50 $1 bills in my pocket. (Individual dollar bills)

like vs as

-Use like to compare nouns and pronouns. -Example: Jim blocks like a pro. -Use as to introduce clauses. (A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb.) -Example: Jim blocks the linebacker as he should.(subject/verb = he should)

Dashes

-Use sparingly (once a month). Don't use dashes when commas can serve the same purpose. -Too many dashes call attention to themselves and break up the flow of your writing. -Use dashes for an abrupt change in thought or an emphatic pause. -A dash = 2 hyphens. -A dash can serve like a beefed-up comma to separate a parenthetical (Oh ... by the way) statement from the rest of the sentence, especially if the statement contains its own punctuation: -Maisie's favorite pet hamsters—Samson, Snowball, Fuzzhead, Spearmint and Corningware—sleep in her bedroom.

that vs which

-Use that for essential clauses (important to the meaning of the sentence) and without commas: -Do you remember the movie that defined our parents' generation? -The statue in the hall is the one that commemorates D-Day. -Use which for nonessential clauses, and use commas. (Nonessential clauses/phrases contain information not important to the meaning of the sentence.) -The team, which won in 2011, is in third place. -The statue in the hall, which commemorates D-Day, was a gift from France.

who vs that

-Use that when referring to inanimate objects and to animals. -His house is the first one that caught fire Tuesday. -BUT: The dog next door is the one that bit my sister. -Use who for people and animals like Pepe Le Pew. -Smith is the one who ran from the burning house. -Pepe Le Pew is the character who said, "I am ze locksmith of love, no?"

Hyphens

-When a compound modifier - two or more words that express a single concept - precedes a noun, use hyphens to link the words (except very and -ly words). -Hyphenated adjectives before a noun represent a single idea: a well-known man, a part-time job, a better-qualified teacher. -Use a hyphen to clarify meaning and to avoid unintended meanings: small-business owner, little-known song, French-speaking people. -No hyphen is needed if the modifier is commonly recognized as one phrase, and if the meaning is clear without the hyphen: climate change report, first quarter touchdown, early morning traffic, chocolate chip cookie, third grade teacher. -Note: Many combinations that are hyphenated before a noun are not hyphenated after the noun. Examples: The dress was bluish green. She bought a bluish-green dress.She worked part time. I got a part-time job.

who vs whom

-Who is grammatically the subject of a sentence, clause or phrase: -The woman who rented the room left the window open. -Who is there? -Who does the same job as the word he/she in a sentence. -Whom is used when someone is the object of a verb or preposition: -The woman to whom the room was rented left the window open. -Whom do you wish to see? -Whom does the same job in a sentence as the words him/her."

who's vs whose

-Who's = "who is" or "who has." -Who's is a contraction. -Who's responsible for this mess? -Whose is a possessive pronoun. -The singer, whose record label refused to renew his contract, won three Grammys.

Exclamation Points

-You get one exclamation point in your lifetime. . -A direct quote is different, but the person should be shouting. "Help me!" Smith shouted. "My iPad is on fire!"

you're/ your

-You're = you are. -You're my best friend today. -Your = a possessive pronoun. -Did Norwood find your iPhone?

Fragments

-are missing the subject or the verb, or do not express a complete thought - Norvil to go to summer camp. (missing the verb) -Decided to go to summer camp. (missing the subject) -When Norvil arrived at summer camp. (doesn't express a complete thought)

Run-on sentence

-combines two independent clauses (complete sentences) without proper punctuation: -Norvil was the first to jump off the bus he was excited to meet new friends.

Semicolon

-have two basic uses: (1.) to separate two complete sentences and (2.) to clarify elements in a series that are long or contain commas. (1) Ex: Some people visit the beach for vacation; others like amusement parks. (Note: The semicolon takes the place of the comma/conjunction between two complete sentences.) -(2) Ex: He is survived by a son, John Smith; three daughters, Jane Smith, Mary Smith Jones and Fran Smith Martin; and a sister, Martha Smith, of Omaha, Nebraska.

Collective nouns

-nouns that represent a unit (more than one) take singular verbs and pronouns: -class, committee, crowd, family, group, herd, jury, orchestra, team, etc. -The committee is meeting to set its agenda. -The jury reached its verdict. -A herd of cattle was trucked to the sale. -Some words that are plural in form become collective nouns and take singular verbs when the group/quantity is regarded as a unit: -A thousand bushels is a good yield. -The data is sound. -However, when the noun represents individual items, use plural verbs: -A thousand bushels were collected. -The data were carefully tabulated -Team names and musical groups that are plural take plural verbs/pronouns: -The Yankees are in first place. -The Jonas Brothers will perform Tuesday -Team or group names with no plural forms also take plural verbs/pronouns: -The Miami Heat are battling for first place. -Other examples: Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic. -Many singular names take singular verbs: - Coldplay is on tour. -U2 is rehearsing in Dublin.

misplaced modifier

-occur when the modifier's subject is unclear because the modifier is in the wrong spot. This can occur anywhere in a sentence. -Carl eats a hot bowl of mush every morning. The mush, not the bowl, is hot. -This is better: Carl eats a bowl of hot mush every morning. -The Wicked Witch threw down on the yellow brick road her magic wand. It sounds like the witch threw herself down. Instead, say this: The Wicked Witch threw her magic wand down on the yellow brick road.

Active Voice

-the subject is the "doer" of the action, and the object is the recipient of the action. -Louise bought a purse. (Louise = subject/doer; bought = verb; purse = object) -these are preferred bc they focus the reader's attention on the actor -more concise because it usually involves fewer words

Passive Voice

-the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action. -A purse was bought by Louise. (purse = recipient of the action; was bought = verb; Louise = doer) -works in some situations when the focus is on the recipient of the action, such as in an accident or death (A bus driver was killed)

Dangling Modifiers

-usually occur at the beginning or end of a sentence. They "dangle" in the wrong spot, and the reader is unclear what the phrase or word is describing: -Covered in wildflowers, Francesca sat on the grassy hill and enjoyed the afternoon breeze. -Covered in wildflowers, the grassy hill provided the perfect spot for Francesca to enjoy the afternoon breeze -Searching through the dusty garage, the key to the pool house remained hidden. -Searching through the dusty garage, Martie and I realized the key to the pool house remained hidden.

adviser

A spelling problem. Use "er" instead of "or" in AP Style.

flyer vs flier

Always use the word flyer for a person who flies and for papers you find in Free Speech Alley

objective pronouns

Me, her, they, us and him are objective pronouns, and they are used as direct objects, indirect objects and objects of prepositions. -Kristin told me to leave her alone. (me = direct object)

parallel construction

Parallel construction is important when writing has multiple elements: a list or series, a comparison (with like/as), or a correlative expression (either/or, neither/nor, or first/second/third).

accommodate

The problem is a spelling issue. Accommodate has two c's and two m's.

defendant

always "ant"

afterward/forward/toward

no "s"

underway

one word

What are the 3 basic elements of a sentence?

subject, verb, object

all right

two words

occur, occurred, occurring, occurrence

• Know how to spell these words. • Occurred, occurring and occurrence (note the "e") all take two c's and two r's.