1) a) Her quickly amassed fortune includes a dramatic collection of paintings that are stored in the basement. b) Herb’s sister yelled, "Does anyone have a telephone"? c) Christina missed her graduation from high school, yet her parents didn’t seem … [Read more...]
Punctuation Practice Exercise
Instructions: Select the incorrectly punctuated sentence from each group of choices. If all are correct, select d) all are correct. After completing the entire exercise, click on the "Are You Prepared?" button at the bottom of this page to see the … [Read more...]
Punctuation: Apostrophe
The apostrophe is a single raised comma with a top curl [’]. It performs two functions in English: indicates a relationship (usually ownership but not always) between two nouns; indicates that a word is contracted or abbreviated. The … [Read more...]
Punctuation: The basics
Punctuation is more than simply a series of rules to be memorized. It is the tool that can most effectively fine tune your writing. The choice to use a semicolon rather than begin a new sentence. The decision to string series of phrases one after … [Read more...]
Case: Possessive Nouns
A possessive noun is a noun that names who or what owns or has possession of something. In most cases, for singular nouns to show that possession, we add an apostrophe and an a ('s). For plural nouns we simply an apostrophe except for those few … [Read more...]
Punctuation: Quotation Mark
1) Set off explanatory expressions with commas. In this example, attribution ("the mayor said") is inserted between the dependent clause ("If we ...") and the independent clause, ("we will") "If we can win this election," the mayor said, "we will … [Read more...]
Punctuation: Hyphen
Smaller than a dash, the hyphen brings words together rather than setting them apart.Use a hyphen to form compound modifiers. COMPOUND MODIFIER: The Definition: Two or more words are acting as a single modifier for a noun. The Clue: They … [Read more...]
Punctuation: Dash
Use a dash to notify the reader of a surprising element at the end of a sentence. The trapper gave his grandson a coat made of fur—skunk fur. Use a dash to announce a list, restatement or an amplification. The waiter's first … [Read more...]
Punctuation: The Colon
1)When the colon is used to introduce a complete sentence, the first word of that sentence should be capitalized. The announcement caught John by surprise: Fans who are standing on the field will be arrested. 2) But when the colon is used to … [Read more...]
Punctuation: Semicolon
1) When each item in a series includes commas, a semicolon is used to separate the items. The pilots were delighted that the owners approved the new contract, the one with the pay increase; accepted changes to the benefits package, changes that … [Read more...]