RULE 1: Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding ( - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

RULE 1: Form the possessive singular of nouns by adding (‘s)

What does it mean to POSSESS something?

What does SINGULAR mean?

Possessive singular example:

Charles’s friend OR Charles’ friend

t

he witch’s cauldron

Exception

: Ancient Names like Jesus= Jesus’ bread

Exception: Moses’ laws=the

l

aws of Moses

h

ers, its, theirs, ours, and yours have no apostrophe

Indefinite

pronouns (ex: one, somebody

else, anyone, someone, anybody)

use apostrophe

s

omebody else’s umbrella Slide2

It’s and Its are different!!

It’s= a

contraction

meaning it is

It’s a cold day outside.

It’s is NOT POSSESSIVE

Its= possessive form of it (objects like dog, car, or cat)

Its food is in a container in the garage.

ITS’ IS NOT A WORD!!!Slide3

RULE 2: In a series with three or more items and one CONJUNCTION (and, or, but…) use a comma after each item except the last item.

Red, white, and blue are the colors of the American flag.

I went to the store and bought bread, milk, and eggs.

I went to the store and bought bread and milk.

EXCEPTION: In names of businesses the last comma is usually

omitted

.

Smith, Brown and Company represented his case.Slide4

RULE 3: Enclose parenthetic expressions with commas.

The best way to see the country, unless pressed for time, is to travel by foot.

NEVER

omit

one comma and leave the other.

The best way to see the country unless pressed for time, is to travel by foot.

Standard form for dates:

April 6, 1986

Or omit the comma: 6 April 1986Slide5

Rule 3 continued…

A name or title in a

direct address

is parenthetic.

If, Sir, you refuse, I cannot predict what will happen.

Well, Susan, this is a mess you are in.

Abbreviations

etc., i.e., and e.g.

, abbreviations for academic degrees, and titles following names are parenthetic.

Letters, packages, etc., should go there.

John Smith, Ph.D., entered the room.

Rachel Simonds, Attorney

EXCEPTION: Don’t use a comma for Jr.

James Smith Jr. NOT James Smith, Jr.

Don’t separate a noun with a

restrictive

term of identification.

Billy the KidSlide6

RULE 4: Place a comma before a conjunction introducing an independent clause.

What’s an independent clause?

We started school at 7:19, but Billy didn’t arrive until 8:00.

When the subject is the same for both clauses of the sentence use a comma for but, not and.

I have heard your argument, but I am unsure.

I have heard your argument and am unsure. Slide7

RULE 5:Don’t join two independent clauses with just a comma

If you break the above rule you create a comma splice (another word for a run-on).

Fix a run-on by:

Inserting a semi-colon (;)

Mary Shelley’s works are engaging; they are full of wonderful ideas.

Breaking it into two separate sentences

Mary Shelley’s works are engaging. They are full of wonderful ideas.

Adding an appropriate conjunction

Mary Shelley’s works are engaging, for they are full of wonderful ideas. Slide8

RULE 5 continued…

Note: if the second clause is

preceded

by an adverb (accordingly, besides, therefore, then, or thus), and not by a conjunction, the semicolon is still necessary .

I had never been in that place before; besides, it was dark as a tomb.

Exception to semi-colon rule in

Strunk

and White

pg. 6,7Slide9

RULE 6: Do not use periods where commas should be.

Breaking the above rule will create a

fragment.

A fragment doesn’t make sense on its own and is missing a critical part of speech, usually a verb or noun.

I met him at the airport. Going home from New York.

She was an interesting talker. A woman who had traveled all over the world.

EXCEPTION: Usually seen in dialogue, a sentence can be clipped if it fits with the tone of the work.

Again and again he called out. No reply.