Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Brush-Up
For Volusia County Government
CREDENTIALS
Emerging Leader
Grammar Brush-Up
Todays Goals
Explore how rules enhance the clarity of writing.
Discuss how most rules you know arent actually rules at all.
Be aware of the pitfalls of language so you can avoid them.
Develop strategies for catching common errors.
Todays Agenda
Introductions
Sentences
Spelling
Punctuation
Grammar Brush-Up
Grammar Brush-Up
Part I: Sentences
Fragments (Incomplete Sentences)1
The sentences below appeared in papers written by students. Act as their editor, marking a C if
the sentences in the group are all complete and an F if any of the sentences in the group is a fragment.
Could you tell these writers why the fragments are incomplete sentences?
1. Then I attended Morris Junior High. A junior
high that was a bad experience.
2. The scene was filled with beauty. Such as the sun
sending its brilliant rays to the earth and the
leaves of various shades of red, yellow, and
brown moving slowly in the wind.
3. He talked for fifty minutes without taking his
eyes off his notes. Like other teachers in that
department, he did not encourage students'
questions.
Grammar Brush-Up
Subject-Verb Agreement2
This handout gives you several guidelines to help your subjects and verbs agree.
1. When the subject of a sentence is composed of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by
and, use a plural verb.
She and her friends are at the fair.
2. When two or more singular nouns or pronouns are connected by or or nor, use a singular
verb.
The book or the pen is in the drawer.
3. When a compound subject contains both a singular and a plural noun or pronoun joined by
or or nor, the verb should agree with the part of the subject that is nearer the verb.
The boy or his friends run every day.
His friends or the boy runs every day.
4. Doesnt is a contraction of does not and should be used only with a singular subject. Dont is a
contraction of do not and should be used only with a plural subject. The exception to this
rule appears in the case of the first- and second-person pronouns I and you. With these pronouns, the contraction dont should be used.
He doesn't like it.
They don't like it.
5. Do not be misled by a phrase that comes between the subject and the verb. The verb agrees
with the subject, not with a noun or pronoun in the phrase.
One of the boxes is open
The people who listen to that music are few.
The team captain, as well as his players, is anxious.
The book, including all the chapters in the first section, is boring.
The woman with all the dogs walks down my street.
6. The words each, each one, either, neither, everyone, everybody, anybody, anyone, nobody,
somebody, someone, and no one are singular and require a singular verb.
Each of these hot dogs is juicy.
Everybody knows Mr. Jones.
Either is correct.
Grammar Brush-Up
7. Nouns such as civics, mathematics, dollars, measles, and news require singular verbs.
The news is on at six.
Note: the word dollars is a special case. When talking about an amount of money, it requires a
singular verb, but when referring to the dollars themselves, a plural verb is required.
Five dollars is a lot of money.
Dollars are often used instead of rubles in Russia.
8. Nouns such as scissors, tweezers, trousers, and shears require plural verbs. (There are two parts
to these things.)
These scissors are dull.
Those trousers are made of wool.
9. In sentences beginning with there is or there are, the subject follows the verb. Since there is
not the subject, the verb agrees with what follows.
There are many questions.
There is a question.
10. Collective nouns are words that imply more than one person but that are considered singular
and take a singular verb, such as: group, team, committee, class, and family.
The team runs during practice.
The committee decides how to proceed.
My family has never been able to agree.
In some rare cases in American English, a sentence may call for the use of a plural verb when using
a collective noun. This is the norm, not the exception, in British English.
The crew are preparing to dock the ship.
This sentence is referring to the individual efforts of each crew member. The Gregg Reference
Manual provides excellent explanations of subject-verb agreement (section 10: 1001).
11. Expressions such as with, together with, including, accompanied by, in addition to, or as well
do not change the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is too.
The President, accompanied by his wife, is traveling to India.
All of the books, including yours, are in that box.
Present Tense
I am
I was
we are
we were
you are
you are
you were
you were
he/she/it is
they are
he/she/it was
they were
7
Grammar Brush-Up
Grammar Brush-Up
Dangling Modifiers 4
Conventionally, a participial phrase, prepositional phrase, infinitive phrase, or an appositive
phrase modifies the nearest word in the same sentence. The same is true for adjectival or adverbial
phrases. If that noun appears in an earlier sentence, or doesnt appear at all in the paper, the reader will
become confused. This situation is called a dangling modifier. In the case of adverbs, adverbs should
modify the nearest verb or the subsequent adverb or adjective in the same sentence. If not, it also is a
dangling modifier.
Grammar Brush-Up
Determine whether each sentence below needs to be revised to avoid the passive voice. Make
any necessary changes or explain why the sentence works best as-is.
1. Before the semester was over, the new nursing program had been approved by the Curriculum
Committee and the Board of Trustees.
2. With five seconds left in the game, an illegal time-out was called by one of the players.
10
Grammar Brush-Up
3. Later in the day, the employees were informed of their loss of benefits by the boss herself.
4. The major points of the lesson were quickly learned by the class, but they were also quickly
forgotten by them.
6. An unexpected tornado smashed several homes and uprooted trees in a suburb of Knoxville.
9. Participants in the survey were asked about their changes in political affiliation.
10. Tall buildings and mountain roads were avoided by Raoul because he had a fear of heights.
11
Grammar Brush-Up
Parallelism5
Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the
same level of importance or at least closely relate. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level.
The usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as and or or.
Example 1
Not Parallel: Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a bicycle.
Parallel: Mary likes hiking, swimming, and riding bicycles.
Example 2
Not Parallel:
The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed
manner.
Parallel:
The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and thoroughly.
Example 3
Not Parallel:
The teacher said that he was a poor student because he waited until the last minute to study for
the exam, completed his lab problems in a careless manner, and his motivation was low.
Parallel:
The teacher said that he was a poor student because he waited until the last minute to study for
the exam, completed his lab problems in a careless manner, and lacked motivation.
12
Grammar Brush-Up
Example 1
Not Parallel:
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too
much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game.
Parallel:
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too
much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.
Also parallel:
The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, not eat too much, and do some
warm-up exercises before the game.
Example 2
Not Parallel:
The salesman expected that he would present his product at the meeting, that there would be
time for him to show his slide presentation, and that questions would be asked by prospective
buyers. (active vs. passive voice)
Parallel:
The salesman expected that he would present his product at the meeting, that there would be
time for him to show his slide presentation, and that prospective buyers would ask him questions.
13
Grammar Brush-Up
Sentence Correction6
Rewrite each of the sentences below to correct errors in parallelism.
1. An actor knows how to memorize his lines and getting into character.
2. Tell me where you were, what you were doing, and your reasons for doing it.
4. To donate money to the homeless shelter is helping people stay warm in the winter.
5. Jim not only likes working outside but also getting dirty.
6. We followed the path through the forest, over the hill, and we went across the river.
14
Grammar Brush-Up
9. She told Jake to take out the trash, to mow the lawn, and be listening for the phone call.
10. Marcie studied for the test by reviewing her class notes and she read her textbook.
11. It is easier to tell the truth than lying to people you love.
12. For her birthday, Marsha received a cake, some clothes, and she got a new CD player.
13. Jim wanted to scare us by telling us a ghost story and he showed us a horror movie.
14. The witness described the suspect as tall, light-skinned, and with a beard.
15. Spending the day with you is better than if we were apart.
16. Brian disliked not only playing baseball but also to run long distances.
17. The new house has a large porch, an eat-in kitchen, and the floors are carpeted.
21. Susie not only needs attention but also many compliments.
15
Grammar Brush-Up
23. Doug taught his children the importance of knowledge, virtue, and working hard.
25. Studying for the big exam is more important than if I watch that movie.
26. He wants neither to work nor does he want to pay the monthly bills.
27. The restaurant has a large menu, delicious spaghetti, and the prices are low.
30. Hiking stresses your body but is enriching for your health.
16
Grammar Brush-Up
17
Grammar Brush-Up
18
Grammar Brush-Up
Grammar Brush-Up
20
Grammar Brush-Up
4. Thats a lot [farther/further] than I want to carry this machine and tripod!
5. The [farther/further] that I travel down this road, the [farther/further] behind schedule I get.
6. How much [farther/further] do you intend to take this legal matter?
7. I want to [farther/further] my career by taking some management courses.
8. Its not that much [farther/further] to the gas station.
9. How much [farther/further] do I have to read in this text?
10. How much [farther/further] do I have to run, Coach?
Grammar Brush-Up
22
Grammar Brush-Up
Write the correct form of lay or lie, as appropriate, in each blank. Watch your tense!
1. He _____ on the hard pavement this morning, gasping for breath.
2. How long did he _____ there?
3. I don't know how long he had ______ there.
4. He picked up the wounded bird and _____ it gently on the table.
5. She _____ her sewing aside and went to the door.
6. Are you going to _____ there all day?
7. The three puppies ______ in the basket.
8. Linda _____ her coat on the couch.
9. Not feeling well, he _____ in his bed all day.
10. He decided to just _____ around the house all summer.
11. Someone _____ the dictionary on my glasses.
12. The money _____ there all day in plain sight.
13. She had _____ the book on the ground under the tree.
14. Ginny _____ down on a beach towel.
15. I saw the hat that you _____ on the hall table.
16. She had just _____ down for a nap when the phone rang.
17. The two teenagers _____ in the sun all day.
18. Have they _____ the cornerstone of the building yet?
19. She had _____ the coverlet over the child at midnight.
20. He should not ____ the blame for the accident on the other driver.
23
Grammar Brush-Up
24
Grammar Brush-Up
25
Grammar Brush-Up
26
Grammar Brush-Up
17 Material taken from http://www.rhlschool.com/eng3n36.htm, 1999 by RHL School Free Workseets and More at www.rhlschool.com
27
Grammar Brush-Up
Dear John:
Gloria
Yours,
Gloria
Grammar Brush-Up
2. Use a comma before a conjunction (a word used to join two thoughts) if it has a sentence before and after it.
I understand the material, yet I failed the test.
The boy is a thief, and his sister is a prostitute.
She will not attend class, nor will she study.
3. Use a comma to set off an interrupting elementone that you can leave out of the sentence
without changing the meaning. However, do not abuse this rule. Make sure the element is
not just a modifier.
John, who is my cousin, won the race.
He has, in fact, won several races.
My favorite teacher, a woman named Mrs. Smith, died.
4. Use a comma to join three or more items in a series.
We bought milk, bread and eggs.
She wants to fish, to swim, and to relax.
I locked the door, shut the window, and went to bed.
I washed the windows, the pots and pans and the dog.
Hint: The use of the comma before the conjunction is often considered optional, but including it is
rarely confusing; in cases like the last example, adding it would improve clarity.
5. Use a comma to join coordinate adjectives that come before and describe a noun. There are
two hints for this rule:
To determine whether the comma is necessary, simply place and between the two adjectives. If
the and fits, you need the comma.
You can also try changing the order of the adjectives. If the order can be changed, and the sentence is still correct, you need the comma.
Her exciting, handsome brother escorted me.
Her exciting and handsome brother escorted me
Her handsome, exciting brother escorted me.
Notice that these adjectives would not require a comma to join them.
There were seven stormy nights.
He wore a blue suit.
6. Use a comma to set off the year in a three-item date within a sentence.
We met on May 3, 2003, in Reno.
We met in May 2003 in Reno. (No commas in a two-item date.)
29
Grammar Brush-Up
Comma Exercise 18
Insert commas in the following sentences, as needed:
1. Janet will graduate from high school on June 3 2008.
2. The weather man Mr. Barker said we would have snow today or tomorrow.
3. Ask not what your country can do for you President Kennedy explained but rather ask what
you can do for your country.
4. Where are Jonathan Jeff and Tim going after work?
5. Michael Bolton is a great singer isnt he?
6. Nancy can as far as I know finish the project without any help.
7. Pretzels my favorite snack make me thirsty.
8. No there is not enough time to play a game of Monopoly before we leave.
9. I have been working all day so I really could use a break.
10. The document looks professional but the contents are juvenile.
11. Looking for the lost car keys we searched under the car in the house on the porch and among the
weeds.
12. Well I guess that staff likes dates not prunes.
13. Among the synonyms are humor wit sarcasm and irony.
14. After we had placed an advertisement in the evening paper we found the owner of the puppy.
15. When Mr. Charles Chatham Jr. my geography teacher visited West Lafayette Indiana he toured
the campus of Purdue University.
16. Oh didnt you know that on March 5 1964 my family left Reidsville North Carolina and moved
to Highland Park a suburb of Chicago Illinois.
17. Richie leave the room and shut the door and be quiet.
18. Michael you know of course that Archie hates teas receptions and formal dinners.
19. We left Moravia which is a resort town in New York and drove on to Owasco Lake which is near
Syracuse.
20. Wanting to be noticed the baby jumped up and down in his crib and shook the railings and
whimpered piteously.
18 Most content from Warriners English Grammar and Composition 9, Revised Edition, 1965 Harcourt, Brace, and World, Inc.
30
Grammar Brush-Up
Semicolons Exercise19
Insert semicolons and commas in the following sentences, as needed:
1. Traveling through the countryside last summer we decided not to follow any schedule for example
we took side roads if we found any that looked interesting.
2. One quiet road many miles from the main highway wound narrowly through the hills at times it
seems to disappear altogether under the bushes growing along it.
3. As dad steered the car carefully the conversation that mother and I have been having died out impressed by the stillness of our surroundings we became strangely silent.
4. There were no houses nearby seeing the remains of a few old rock chimneys we knew that someone must have lived there many years ago.
5. After traveling about 10 miles along this road we noticed a small square area fenced around with
iron rails inside the fence all overgrown with grass and wildflowers were old grades.
6. A few of the graves dating back to the early 1800s had crude stone monuments with traces of
names that the elements had not yet scratched out others having only to stones marking the site
had no names.
7. As we looked at the little cemetery we wondered what stories these people could have told about
early settlements about the hardships of pioneers or about the terrors of the wilderness perhaps
they had lived through famines blizzards and raids.
8. Many cultural superstitions are not dead they survived in our conversations and sometimes influence modern behavior.
9. Our conversations frequently mirror old superstitions we interpret ordinary events strangely
and a lot play almost every day.
10. Long ago people believed that demons were continually trying to put spells on us however when a
person sneezed, the curse was shaken off and the person deserved a blessing.
19 Exercise taken from Warriners English Grammar and Composition 9, Revised Edition, 1965 Harcourt, Brace, and World, Inc.
31
Grammar Brush-Up
32
Grammar Brush-Up
8. Use an apostrophe before the s when the word is plural and possessive but its plural form is
irregular.
The childrens recess is about to start.
The womens cries were heard.
9. Use an apostrophe only after the second name when the possession belongs to two people
and they are mentioned in the sentence at the same time.
Note: In the example below, were talking about one computer program belonging to two people,
i.e. joint ownership.
That computer program is Jane and Sams.
Apostrophe Activity
1. Thats too bad.
2. He graduated high school in 82.
3. She dots all her is and crosses all her ts.
4. I paid him with 10s and 20s.
5. I havent written my thank-yous.
6. The other teams losses were in the hundreds.
7. That is Susans desk.
8. The citizens mother was also present for the meeting.
9. The witnesses memories were vague on that point.
10. Our department gave you three weeks notice.
11. You have heard both the builders stories.
12. That property is John and Michelles.
13. Everyone loves the 80s dont they?
14. The childrens things were all over our neighbors lawn.
15. Its only a matter of time before the bird returns to its nest.
33
Grammar Brush-Up
Additional Resources
Books
Lindsell-Roberts, Sheryl. Business Writing for Dummies. Foster City, CA: IDG Books, 1999.
Sabin, William A. The Gregg Reference Manual. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2001.
Straus, Jane. The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008.
Swick, Edward. English Grammar for ESL Learners. Chicago, IL: McGraw-Hill, 2005.
Swick, Edward. Writing Better English: An ESL Workbook. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004.
Woods, Geraldine. English Grammar for Dummies. New York: Hungry Minds, 2001.
Websites
English as 2nd Language (esl.about.com)Collection of language/grammar/pronunciation tips
Grammar and Punctuation (grammarbook.com)The Blue Book online rule reference
Merriam-Webster Online (m-w.com)Dictionary & Thesaurus
Purdue Universitys Online Writing Lab (owl.english.purdue.edu/owl)
Job Search Writing
English as a Second Language
UCFs University Writing Center (uwc.ucf.edu/grammar.php)Grammar, punctuation, and ESL
links and resources
34