5. Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
GLOSSARY
v
Pretest
1
Capitalization and Punctuation—First Things First 15
Spelling—Spell Well . . . with a Few Exceptions
51
Verbs—The Movers and Shakers of Language
69
Adjectives and Adverbs—The 5 Ws and 4 Hs
of Good Writing
89
Agreement—A Matter of Compatibility
107
Modifiers—Does It Dangle or Squint or Split?
127
Sentence Structure—From the Simple to the
Complex
143
Paragraphs—As Easy as Announce-Build-Close!
157
Tricky Words—Bee a Wear of Why Lee Words!
171
Posttest
187
201
6.
7. Introduction
O
ur earliest ancestors invented language out of
necessity and the need to improve their quality of life. It could not
have taken long for early humans to come to detest the endless aggravation
of not being able to get their points across to others around them. The
adage Necessity is the mother of invention held true then, as it does even
today, as the complexity of our world increases. Our language constantly
evolves in order to adapt to our needs and to maintain and improve our quality of life. It doesn’t happen overnight, though, and it didn’t back then either,
but the evolution of language is like clockwork—its change is unswerving.
English is complex, but luckily, it comes with a user’s manual—grammar
and usage—a voluminous set of rules and guidelines that helps you make
sense of the many intricate and dynamic parts of our language. And while
you may be studying grammar right now in school, figuring out the inner
workings of sentence structure and writing can be fun and challenging. The
benefits of your efforts will especially be rewarded in your writing.
You write more often than you think. Essays, notes, e-mail, lists—all
require writing, just in different formats. Sometimes, what you write requires
you to be more formal, and you have to follow certain guidelines for etiquette. At other times, your writing may resemble some kind of code or language that your friends understand perfectly well, but that an English
teacher would have nightmares about. That’s okay. Really. Flexibility is the
key, and knowing when and where to use proper English is important. No
8. viii Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
one expects you to be a walking grammar book, but having a grounded
understanding in the whys and hows of English will impact your spoken and
written communication skills forever. If you make a concerted and consistent effort to apply some of the skills you have learned in this book, you will
create good habits—habits that will stay with you when you write term
papers, a letter of introduction to a prospective employer, and perhaps even
an acceptance speech for a prestigious award. All of these scenarios hinge
on someone understanding and appreciating what you say and how you say
it, whether written or spoken.
This book will equip you with the basic tools you will need to build an
essay that is clear and logical and that you can be proud of. It also includes
the following helpful hints and exercises to help you further develop your
writing skills.
¯
Fuel for Thought: critical information and definitions that can help you
learn more about a particular topic
¯
Inside Track: tips for reducing your study and practice time—without
sacrificing accuracy
¯
Practice Lap: quick practice exercises and activities to let you test your
knowledge
The chapters, which include lessons, along with examples and practice
questions, are meant to be read in order, so the lessons build upon themselves
as you read. Here’s a brief description of each chapter, so that you get an idea
of the flow.
CHAPTER 1: PRETEST
Take this test to see where you need to focus before you start the book. Any
surprises? This will give you a good idea about your strengths and where you
need to improve. Read through each lesson, do the practice questions along
the way, and you’re bound to strengthen your writing skills.
9. Introduction
CHAPTER 2: CAPITALIZATION AND PUNCTUATION—FIRST
THINGS FIRST
There’s more to capitalization than just capitalizing the first word of every
sentence. Learn about the basic dos and don’ts of proper capitalization. As
the “pulse” of the sentence, punctuation leads the reader through a sentence
just as road signs lead a driver. Learn the ins and outs of punctuation, from
apostrophes to dashes to quotations to semicolons.
CHAPTER 3: SPELLING—SPELL WELL . . . WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS
Learn basic spelling rules (and their exceptions), and learn how prefixes and
suffixes play an important role in our language.
CHAPTER 4: VERBS—THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS OF LANGUAGE
The “movers and shakers” of language, verbs come in many shapes and varieties
and present many vivid pictures. Learn how verbs make a sentence come alive.
CHAPTER 5: ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS—THE 5 Ws AND 4 Hs OF
GOOD WRITING
Like the colors on an artist’s palette, these modifiers brighten and enliven
language to help paint pictures in a reader’s mind. Learn how useful and powerful these words can be.
CHAPTER 6: AGREEMENT—A MATTER OF COMPATIBILITY
Agreement between a sentence’s verbs and nouns is paramount. Learn how
to decide whether to make a verb plural or singular, and how to make your
pronouns compatible with your antecedents. Your what? Find out here!
CHAPTER 7: MODIFIERS—DOES IT DANGLE OR SQUINT OR SPLIT?
Care to know whether your modifiers dangle, squint, or split? Learn about
phrases and clauses and their uncanny ability to throw a curveball or two
when you least expect it.
ix
10. x Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
CHAPTER 8: SENTENCE STRUCTURE—FROM THE SIMPLE TO THE
COMPLEX
Proper sentence structure can make or break your message. Learn how
phrases and clauses improve your sentence structure and how to avoid runons and fragments.
CHAPTER 9: PARAGRAPHS—AS EASY AS ANNOUNCE-BUILD-CLOSE
Identify paragraph components and their proper organization, and then
apply that knowledge to create a sound five-paragraph essay.
CHAPTER 10: TRICKY WORDS—BEE A WEAR OF WHY LEE WORDS!
English is filled with words that sound alike but are spelled differently
(homonyms) and words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently
(homographs). Then there are words that just, well, trick us—better word
choice is just a chapter away.
CHAPTER 11: POSTTEST
Now that you’ve finished the book, how much have you improved? This
posttest will give you a chance to see how much you’ve learned and how far
you’ve come since you took the pretest. Do you still need any improvement? Go back to the relevant chapters and review.
GLOSSARY
This chapter contains an extensive list of important words you may already
know, or you may have learned throughout this book. Refer to it as often as
you need to.
Ready? Let’s get started!
11. 1
Pretest
T
his pretest contains 70 questions and is designed to
test your knowledge of various topics that are covered in the book.
By taking this test and then checking your answers against the answer key
that follows, you’ll be able to determine what you already know and what you
need to learn. For each question you answer incorrectly, be sure to read the
explanation that accompanies the correct answer in the answer key. Also, the
answer key contains chapter references, so that you know which lesson deals
with that question’s topic. It should take you no more than one hour to complete the pretest. Good luck!
CAPITALIZATION
Correct the words that require proper capitalization.
1.
dean asked, “may i borrow your markers when you’re finished?”
2.
my teacher asked me to write an essay titled “if i could live forever.”
3.
when hailey saw the latest issue of vogue, she eagerly bought it.
4.
brielle said, “there’s a lost cat sitting outside the door.”
12. 2 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
5.
my dentist, dr. benjamin feldman, always gives me a free toothbrush.
6.
tammy enjoys taking walks in the park.
7.
have you read the biography of queen elizabeth i?
8.
the warm carribbean breeze blew gently across the island.
9.
i traveled to burma, a country northwest of thailand.
10.
I see mrs. alessi on thursdays only.
PUNCTUATION
Insert proper punctuation into the following sentences.
11.
The playful puppy pushed the little girl
12.
Should Polly play outside with her friends or practice her piano
13.
The hungry penguin sat on the ice waiting for its mother
14.
Wow How did you do that
15.
its time to go home
16.
Rebeccas long blond hair blew in the breeze
17.
The cat chased the mouse into the barn and returned later with a smile
on its face
18.
The lost hiker tired and hungry searched through his bag for food
19.
As Ashley flew to London she thought of her friends and family back
home
13. Pretest
20.
Butch a bully popped all of Chelseas balloons and made her cry
21.
The caterpillar crawled over the leaf along the branch and down the
trunk of the tree
22.
After a long talk they decided to go home cook dinner watch TV and
chill
23.
March 17 1993 is Saras birthday she will be 15 years old this year
24.
The midnight sky was still except for one tiny sparkle of a star
25.
You must know how to catch throw hit and slide
26.
They finally reached the far side of the island however help was nowhere
in sight
27.
Amanda placed Martins Encyclopedia Book H in her book bag
28.
Elliott wants to study genetics in college he hopes to become a doctor
29.
That was a good one remarked Tony Do it again
30.
Im hungry Do we have anything to eat whined Brandon
MODIFIERS
Adjectives
In each sentence, circle the adjective(s).
31.
The car got a flat tire.
32.
Tom’s cotton shirt was wrinkled.
33.
The loud music hurts my ears.
3
14. 4 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
34.
Southern peaches are exceptionally delicious and juicy.
Adverbs
In each sentence, circle the adverb(s).
35.
The orange ball glowed and sank slowly on the horizon.
36.
Linda completely misunderstood the directions the teacher gave.
37.
Nikki quickly decided to turn right at the corner.
38.
Westerns can be very exciting.
39.
Her fourth-quarter grades had improved slightly.
40.
Twenty minutes too late, she removed the burned tuna casserole from
the oven.
Prepositional Phrases
In each sentence, circle the prepositional phrase(s).
41.
The grandfather clock in the hallway chimed each hour.
42.
The shed in the backyard was covered with English ivy.
43.
Steven cut the grass in the front yard yesterday.
Tricky Words
In each sentence, circle the tricky word(s).
44.
Will ewe please take three dollars and by sum milk?
45.
Joe tries to due his assignments early.
46.
Nell kneads two go two bed.
15. Pretest
47.
Hour daughter, Meghan, had the flew.
48.
They’re is only ate scents in my pocket.
49.
The plain arrived with the pear of twins a bored.
50.
Weight here! Aisle get sum stationary for you.
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Identify each sentence as simple, compound, or complex. Underline the
subject once and underline the predicate twice.
51.
The judges watched the dancers closely and gave prizes to the highest
scorers.
52.
Karen’s sandwich store serves subs, soups, and salads.
53.
Zachary slept well after washing cars for the fund-raiser all day.
54.
Mrs. Milling recorded the test grades, and her student teacher passed
them back to the students.
55.
The nurse gently held the newborn baby, who was crying.
56.
Presidential conventions occur every four years during the summer.
57.
Ivy was afraid to watch horror movies, but she enjoyed comedies.
58.
The bakery, which was built next to the grocery store, was always busy.
59.
Although he was a good student, sometimes Matthew forgot to do his
homework.
60.
The teacher, who taught health and gym, quickly made his way to the
meeting.
5
16. 6 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
COMBINING SENTENCES
Choppy sentences in a paragraph are unappealing. Combine the following
sentences, rewriting them when necessary, to create an informative, interesting sentence. Although there are many possible combinations, a sample
sentence of each question is provided for you at the end of the pretest.
61.
My worst trip was not, in fact, the actual vacation.
My worst trip was the plane ride to the vacation spot.
62.
This wasn’t just one of those two-hour trips to Florida.
This was a 16-hour direct flight.
It was a flight across the Atlantic over the North Pole.
63.
I was boarding the plane.
I was anxiously waiting to see how the leg room and the food would be.
I was anxiously waiting to see who would be seated around me.
64.
Naturally, I did not have high expectations on a flight as long as this.
I considered how they can’t expect you to be too comfortable.
I considered how they can’t expect you to not be bored.
17. Pretest
65.
Of course, I was not surprised.
I think more things went wrong than right on this flight.
66.
As I was sitting down, the first thing I noticed was two babies.
I noticed the babies seated within three rows of me.
I thought that wasn’t a good sign.
67.
The babies weren’t the only things I became aware of as I took my seat.
I realized how close the back of the seat in front of me was to my knees.
68.
By then, I was already telling my sister she could have the window seat.
I was supposed to have the window seat.
I knew I would need the aisle for extra leg room.
69.
I settled in.
Eventually, I started dozing off.
I would be interrupted by the flight attendants.
They were kicking my feet, which were in the aisle.
I can’t complain, though, because they weren’t supposed to be there
anyway.
7
18. 8 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
70.
The food was actually quite good.
The tray holder that comes out of the back of the seat in front of you was
not.
It was like trying to balance your meal on the head of a needle.
I ended up spilling my soda and dinner all over my lap.
ANSWERS
Capitalization
We capitalize (1) the first word of every sentence, (2) the first word of a direct
quotation, (3) the pronoun I and all contractions made using the word I, (4)
proper nouns, (5) proper adjectives, and (6) the first word and all key words
in titles. (To better understand capitalization, please see Chapter 2.)
1. Dean asked, “May I borrow your markers when you’re finished?”
2. My teacher asked me to write an essay titled “If I Could Live Forever.”
3. When Hailey saw the latest issue of Vogue, she eagerly bought it.
4. Brielle said, “There’s a lost cat sitting outside the door.”
5. My dentist, Dr. Benjamin Feldman, always gives me a free toothbrush.
6. Tammy enjoys taking walks in the park.
7. Have you read the biography of Queen Elizabeth I?
8. The warm Caribbean breeze blew gently across the island.
9. I traveled to Burma, a country northwest of Thailand.
10. I see Mrs. Alessi on Thursdays only.
Punctuation
(1) Periods signify the end of declarative and imperative sentences; (2)
question marks are used after a question; and (3) exclamations signify
strong feelings or emotion. (To better understand punctuation, please see
Chapter 2.)
11. The playful puppy pushed the little girl.
12. Should Polly play outside with her friends or practice her piano?
13. The hungry penguin sat on the ice waiting for its mother.
19. Pretest
Wow! How did you do that?
15. It’s time to go home.
16. Rebecca’s long, blond hair blew in the breeze.
17. The cat chased the mouse into the barn and returned later with a smile
on its face.
14.
Use commas (1) to separate series of three or more items or phrases in a sentence, (2) with an introductory word or phrase, (3) before and after a word
or phrase that is meant to rename or describe a noun that precedes it (an
appositive), and (4) in dates and addresses.
18. The lost hiker, tired and hungry, searched through his bag for food.
19. As Ashley flew to London, she thought of her friends and family back
home.
20. Butch, a bully, popped all of Chelsea’s balloons and made her cry.
21. The caterpillar crawled over the leaf, along the branch, and down the
trunk of the tree.
22. After a long talk, they decided to go home, cook dinner, watch TV,
and chill.
23. March 17, 1993, is Sara’s birthday. She will be 15 years old this year.
24. The midnight sky was still, except for one tiny sparkle of a star.
Use colons to (1) introduce a list, (2) introduce the subtitle of a movie or
book, (3) separate hours from minutes when writing the time. Use a semicolon (4) to separate two related sentences and (5) between two complete
sentences that are separated by transitional words or phrases.
25. You must know how to do all of the following: catch, throw, hit, and slide.
26. They finally reached the far side of the island; however, help was
nowhere in sight.
:
27. Amanda placed Martin’s Encyclopedia: Book H in her book bag.
28. Elliott wants to study genetics in college; he hopes to become a doctor.
Direct quotations require the use of opening and ending quotation marks.
29. “That was a good one,” remarked Tony. “Do it again.”
30. “I’m hungry. Do we have anything to eat?” whined Brandon.
9
20. 10 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Modifiers
Adjectives (1) modify only nouns; (2) answer What kind? Which one? and How
many? about the nouns they are modifying; (3) imply something belongs to
someone; and (4) are sometimes proper nouns that behave like adjectives.
(To better understand adjectives, please see Chapter 5.)
31. The car got a flat tire.
32. Tom’s cotton shirt was wrinkled.
33. The loud music hurts my ears.
34. Southern peaches are exceptionally delicious and juicy.
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs, and answer Where?
When? How? How much? How often? and How long? (To better understand
adverbs, please see Chapter 5.)
35. The orange ball glowed and sank slowly on the horizon.
36. Linda completely misunderstood the directions the teacher gave.
37. Nikki quickly decided to turn right at the corner.
38. Westerns can be very exciting.
39. Her fourth-quarter grades had improved slightly.
40. Twenty minutes too late, she removed the burned tuna casserole from
the oven.
A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and
ends with a noun or pronoun. (To better understand prepositional phrases,
please see Chapters 6 and 7.)
41. The grandfather clock in the hallway chimed each hour.
42. The shed in the backyard was covered with English ivy.
43. Steven cut the grass in the front yard yesterday.
Words that are spelled differently and have dissimilar meanings, but are pronounced exactly the same, are called homonyms. (To better understand
tricky words, please see Chapter 10.)
44. Will you please take three dollars and buy some milk?
45. Joe tries to do his assignments early.
46. Nell needs to go to bed.
47. Our daughter, Meghan, had the flu.
48. There is only eight cents in my pocket.
21. Pretest
The plane arrived with the pair of twins aboard.
50. Wait here! I’ll get some stationery for you.
49.
Sentence Structure
(1) A simple sentence must have a simple subject (one word) and a simple
predicate (one word); (2) a compound sentence is two complete sentences
joined by a conjunction; (3) a complex sentence is made up of at least one
independent clause and one subordinate (dependent) clause. (For more help
with sentence structure, please see Chapter 8.)
51. The judges watched the dancers closely and gave prizes to the highest
scorers.
compound
52. Karen’s sandwich store serves subs, soups, and salads.
simple
53. Zachary slept well after washing cars for the fund-raiser all day.
simple
54. Mrs. Milling recorded the test grades, and her student teacher passed
them back to the students.
compound
55. The nurse gently held the newborn baby, who was crying.
complex
56. Presidential conventions occur every four years during the summer.
simple
57. Ivy was afraid to watch horror movies, but she enjoyed comedies.
compound
58. The bakery, which was built next to the grocery store, was always busy.
complex
59. Although he was a good student, sometimes Matthew forgot to do his
homework.
complex
60. The teacher, who taught health and gym, quickly made his way to the
meeting.
complex
11
22. 12 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Combining Sentences
(For more help with combining sentences, please see Chapters 8 and 9.)
61. My worst trip was not, in fact, the actual vacation, but the plane ride to
the vacation spot.
The choppiness of these sentences is obvious because the subjects
are repeated. Combine the subjects to make one sentence.
62. This wasn’t just one of those two-hour trips to Florida but a 16-hour
direct flight across the Atlantic over the North Pole.
Again, the choppiness is evident with the repetition of the words
this and flight. Combine for fluidity.
63. As I was boarding the plane, I anxiously waited to see how the leg
room and the food would be, and to see who would be seated around me.
The subject, I, is written three times, which means the sentences
can be combined. Also, notice the word anxiously being used twice.
Avoid repetition.
64. Naturally, I did not have high expectations on a flight as long as this; I
considered how they can’t expect you to be too comfortable and to not
be bored.
The sentence topics are directly related, so they can be joined using
a semicolon. The last two sentences need combining for fluidity.
65. Not to my surprise, I think more things went wrong than right on this
flight.
Just a little rewording brings the two sentences together.
66. As I was sitting down, the first thing I noticed was two babies within
three rows of me, and I immediately thought that wasn’t a good sign.
Notice some of the repetition avoided with combining and a little
rewording.
67. The babies weren’t the only things I became aware of as I took my seat;
I realized how close the back of the seat in front of me was to my knees.
The semicolon joins the sentences, as they complement each other.
68. By then, I was already telling my sister she could have the window seat,
even though I was supposed to. I knew I would need the aisle for extra
leg room.
Combining the first two sentences makes sense. Leave the last one
alone for the added emphasis.
23. Pretest
I settled in and eventually started dozing off, only to be interrupted by
the flight attendants kicking my feet, which were in the aisle. I can’t
complain, though; they weren’t supposed to be there anyway.
Notice the same subject, I, in the first three choppy sentences.
They need combining with a bit of rewording. Leave the last sentence alone for emphasis.
70. The food was actually quite good, but the tray holder that comes out of
the back of the seat in front of you was not. It was like trying to balance
your meal on the head of a pin, and I ended up spilling my soda and dinner all over my lap.
The first two sentences contrast each other nicely, and combining
them with the conjunction but works well. The last two sentences
can be made into a compound sentence using the conjunction and.
69.
13
24.
25. 2
Capitalization and
Punctuation
First Things First
W
hat if no one had to follow the same rules or conventions
of punctuation and capitalization for written English? It is certain that whatever message the writer means to get across will fall short, if
not get lost altogether. Take a look.
when i—go to thanksgiving Dinner at. grandmas house my cousin
nathan and I, watch football on my uncles? big screen tv and Cheer
on our . . . favorite teams, later on the Entire family young; and old
gathers in the living room, and plays bingo a time! honored custom
started “when grandma was a little girl growing” up in st louis mo?
Without the use of standard punctuation and capitalization, you would
find that reading the preceding passage is tedious and requires too much time
and trouble. If it is rewritten appropriately, however, reading and understanding it becomes effortless.
When I go to Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma’s house, my cousin
Nathan and I watch football on my uncle’s big-screen TV and cheer on
our favorite teams. Later on, the entire family, young and old, gathers
in the living room and plays bingo, a time-honored tradition started
when Grandma was a little girl growing up in St. Louis, Missouri.
What a difference!
26. 16 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
PART 1: CAPITALIZATION—FIRST THINGS FIRST
Capitalize the first word of every sentence.
Take the dog for a walk, please.
Fifty-two weeks make up one year.
Capitalization signifies the beginning of a sentence. It provides visual separation clues for readers as to when a new sentence begins, which is helpful when several sentences follow one another in a paragraph, as you
observed in the preceding passage.
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
IF THE FIRST word of a sentence is a number, it should be written
out as a word.
When a sentence includes a person’s exact words, capitalize the first
word of the direct quotation . . .
Looking wide-eyed at the list of ice cream choices, Anthony said,
“There are so many flavors.”
“I’m so hungry, I could eat them all!” exclaimed Anthony’s friend,
Jason.
. . . however, do not capitalize the first word of a partial quotation.
“We can have a feast,” Alex replied with resolve, “if we order the
seven-scoop Kitchen Sink Sundae!”
Capitalize the pronoun I and all contractions made using the word I (I’m,
I’ve, I’ll, I’d).
27. Capitalization and Punctuation
“I’m sure I’ve never borrowed Alicia’s sequined green-and-pink
sweater,” said Rhonda. “I’ll look in my closet, but I think I’d remember wearing something that outlandish.”
Capitalize proper nouns.
Unlike common, garden-variety nouns, which are general names for people, places, and things (city, building, man, holiday, etc.), proper nouns are
specific (New York City, Empire State Building, Thomas Edison, Thanksgiving,
etc.) and require capitalization to acknowledge their importance.
¯ When referring to a specific person, for example, Mr. James W. Dunlap, Jr., or Dr. Sara E. Mahanirananda, PhD, notice that their initials
are capitalized, as are their titles (Mr., Mrs., Miss, Rev., Dr.) and the
abbreviations following their names (Jr., Sr., Esq., PhD).
¯
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
SOME NOUNS MAY act as both a common and proper noun,
depending on how they are used in a sentence. For instance, when
used alone, the word governor is a common noun.
The governor took a much-needed vacation after the arduous primaries this fall.
When used before a person’s name, however, governor should be
capitalized.
When asked where he was headed, Governor Braxton commented that
he was looking forward to his two-week reprieve in upstate New York.
This rule also applies to family relationships when a specific person
is referred to, except when it follows a possessive noun or possessive pronoun.
I made my grandmother a scarf for her birthday; Aunt Nancy
commented on how colorful it was.
17
28. 18 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
INSIDE TRACK
THE CARDINAL DIRECTIONS (north, south, east, and west) are
not capitalized; however, when you’re referring to a specific section
of the country, like the Southwest, you capitalize the word.
The seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter) are not capitalized
unless they are being used in the title of something, like Spring Fling.
The names of gods and religious figures are always capitalized
except when you are not referring to one specific god, like Roman gods.
PRACTICE LAP
Identify and correct improperly capitalized words in the following dialogue.
Then, check your answers at the end of the chapter.
1.
“all right,” jack conceded, “you win this time.”
2.
“it’s getting late and i have homework to do,” jack sighed.
3.
“can we play one more time,” asked julie. “please?”
4.
jack smiled and remarked, “only if i can go first!”
5.
“deal!” julie replied with a sly smile, handing jack the wireless controller.
“good luck!”
Capitalize proper adjectives.
Adjectives modify, or enhance, nouns to tell you more information about
the person, place, or thing being described. Sometimes, a proper noun acts
like an adjective—for example, April showers, Chinese yo-yo, and English muffin. When proper adjectives refer to a nationality, the suffix -n or -ian is generally added, such as with Victorian era, American flag, and Mexican food.
29. Capitalization and Punctuation
Capitalize the first word and all key words in titles of books, movies, songs,
short stories, works of art, etc. Articles (a, an, the) and the conjunctions so,
for, and, but, nor, or, yet are not capitalized, unless they are the first word of
the title. Personal pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, they, them, we, us, etc.) and verbs
are always capitalized.
Titling Written Works
Book
Bridge to Terabithia
Short Story
“The Lawyer and the Ghost”
Newspaper
The New York Daily News
Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Painting
Starry Night
Song
“Sunshine on My Shoulders”
Magazine
Newsweek
PRACTICE LAP
Identify and correct any proper adjectives or titles that should be capitalized in
the following sentences. Then, check your answers on page 20.
6.
Have you read Mark Twain’s the adventures of huckleberry finn?
7.
Thomas Jefferson’s declaration of independence of the united states of
america is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
8.
Kauai, a hawaiian island, is among one of the most exotic places in the
world.
9.
One of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s famous paintings is called lady at the
piano.
10.
march winds blow, before april showers show, which make may
flowers grow.
19
30. 20 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
ANSWERS
Reminder: Capitalize (1) the first word of every sentence, (2) the first word
of a direct quotation, (3) the pronoun I and all contractions made using the
word I, and (4) proper nouns.
1. “All right,” Jack conceded, “you win this time.”
2. “It’s getting late and I have homework to do,” Jack sighed.
3. “Can we play one more time?” asked Julie. “Please?”
4. Jack smiled and remarked, “Only if I can go first!”
5. “Deal!” Julie replied with a sly smile, handing Jack the wireless controller. “Good luck!”
Reminder: Capitalize (1) proper adjectives and (2) the first word and all key
words in titles.
6. Have you read Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?
7. Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence of the United States of
America is on display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
8. Kauai, a Hawaiian island, is among one of the most exotic places in the
world.
9. One of Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s famous paintings is called Lady at the
Piano.
10. March winds blow, before April showers show, which make May flowers grow.
PART 2: PUNCTUATION—THE PULSE OF THE SENTENCE
Periods
Periods signify the end of a declarative sentence (a statement of fact) or an
imperative sentence (a command or request is stated). For example:
Declarative: There is a test on the Westward Expansion on Tuesday.
Imperative: Study hard if you want to do well.
31. Capitalization and Punctuation
Periods also follow most abbreviations (Mr., Mrs., lb., oz., A.M., P.M.,
Mon., Tue., Jan. Feb., etc.), except for abbreviations that use all capital letters (NASA, CIA, FBI, YMCA, etc.) and abbreviations for states (DE, NJ, CA,
KN, MO, etc.). Periods must also follow a person’s initials (John F. Kennedy,
T.S. Eliot, etc.).
INSIDE TRACK
WHEN A SENTENCE ends with an abbreviation that has a period,
do NOT add another period at the end. Instead, leave the abbreviation’s period as the endmark. If the sentence is an exclamatory sentence or question, you MUST place the exclamation mark or question
mark at the end, after the abbreviation’s period.
Correct: I was supposed to meet you at 4 P.M.!
Was I supposed to meet you at 4 P.M.?
Incorrect: I will meet you at 4 P.M..
Question Marks—Go Ahead and Ask
Question marks are used after a question (an interrogatory sentence).
This is a difficult rule, isn’t it?
Don’t get indirect questions mixed up with questions. Sometimes a sentence sounds like it has a question in it, but it’s really just a statement
reporting a question:
I was wondering if Lucas, Sean, and I could get together to study
tonight at my house.
I asked whether I could get together with my friends to study.
The statements I was wondering and I asked are just that—statements.
Hence, they end with periods.
21
32. 22 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Exclamation Marks—Turn Up the Volume
Exclamations signify strong feelings or emotion. When a sentence is exclamatory, use an exclamation mark to end it; this includes an imperative sentence, which gives an authoritative or earnest command.
Exclamatory Sentences: Hey! This is pretty simple! I can’t
believe it!
Look at the size of that dog! I’m glad I
don’t feed it!
Imperative Sentences: Stop! I mean it!
Be quiet now! This is important!
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
BE CAREFUL NOT to overuse the exclamation mark in your writing.
For emphasis, people tend to end their sentences with not only one,
but sometimes two, three, or more. Yikes!!!!!!!
PRACTICE LAP
Place the correct punctuation at the end of each sentence. Check your
answers on page 47.
1.
The sun was shining in my window when I woke up
2.
Did you see the tightrope walker at the circus
3.
The honest stranger found a wallet and returned it to its owner
4.
Ouch That hurt
5.
Excellent work class, I am very proud of you
33. Capitalization and Punctuation
Commas—A Common Sense Approach
Of all the punctuation marks, commas are used more frequently than any
other, and tend to cause writers the most headaches. Their usage is really a
matter of personal style, which leaves some writers dropping them into sentences all over the place, and others placing them so sparingly, you’d think
they were being charged for each one. All kidding aside, just how do you
know when to use one and when not to? Here are some suggestions to help
you avoid confusion, yet not cramp your style.
¯
When you have a series of three or more items in a sentence, use a
comma to separate them. The items may be words or phrases.
Words in a Series: Yellow, blue, red, and green are my
favorite colors.
Phrases in a Series: The cardinal flew around the house, above
the tree, and under the power line.
¯
When you have two or more adjectives describing a noun or pronoun, use a comma to separate them.
The young cat had gray, matted fur due to lack of care by its owner.
¯
If you have a series of items where the words or, and, or nor are
connecting them, a comma is not necessary.
Cats and dogs and hamsters are popular pets. I like more exotic pets
like guinea pigs or parakeets or iguanas. However, I like neither
snakes nor mice nor spiders as pets.
23
34. 24 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
INSIDE TRACK
COMMON SENSE MUST prevail when using commas. Read your
sentence to make certain that the meaning is not misconstrued with
too many or too few commas. Consider the following:
Robert danced with Barbara, Anne, Cassidy, and Katie Lee at
the prom.
Robert had a very busy evening at the prom and probably went
home exhausted.
Robert danced with Barbara Anne Cassidy and Katie Lee at
the prom.
While Robert did dance with two girls, Barbara Anne, whose last
name is Cassidy, and Katie, whose last name is Lee, it’s unlikely he
went home worn out.
¯
If a sentence begins with an introductory word or phrase, it is, in
most cases, generally followed by a comma. The use of a comma
after introductory sentence parts helps the reader from carrying the
meaning of the introduction into the main part of the sentence,
which can lead to misinterpretation. For example:
Confusing: After eating the three little pigs and the big bad wolf
played a round of golf to catch up on old times.
(My, someone was very hungry!)
Less Confusing: After eating, the three little pigs and the big bad
wolf played a round of golf to catch up on old times.
(Friendly bunch, aren’t they?)
Confusing: Bugged Bob went to the manager to complain about his
cold dinner.
(What a strange name, Bugged Bob. Does he have a sister Irked
Irene, or perhaps Mad Margaret?)
35. Capitalization and Punctuation
Less Confusing: Bugged, Bob went to the manager to complain
about his cold dinner.
¯
When a word or phrase immediately follows a noun, it should be
set off by commas. The word or phrase is meant to rename or
enhance the noun’s meaning by providing the reader with more
information. This sentence interrupter is called an appositive.
Brian, a varsity soccer player, trains daily at the gym to stay in shape.
The phrase a varsity soccer player renames Brian and adds to our understanding about who he is. This phrase, however, can be removed and the sentence
will remain complete—Brian trains daily at the gym to stay in shape.
Let’s look at another:
My teacher, Mr. Moyer, is also a football coach at the high school.
Again, if we remove the appositive Mr. Moyer, the meaning of the sentence
remains complete—My teacher is also a football coach at the high school.
One more:
The pies, pumpkin and chocolate cream, were the perfect ending to our
dinner.
We know exactly what kinds of pies were the perfect ending to dinner
because of the appositive provided. If we remove the phrase, does the
sentence meaning remain intact? Yes.
Besides enhancing a noun, appositives typically have two other functions in a sentence. They name a person being addressed in the sentence:
See, Danielle, I told you the principal saw you running in the hall.
Look, Courtney, I found my earring under my dresser.
25
36. 26 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
And they set off expressions of opinions, conclusions, etc.:
George Washington, in fact, is known as the father of our country.
Abraham Lincoln, on the other hand, was the most revolutionary
president in American history.
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
OTHER EXPRESSIONS YOU may encounter are yes, no, well,
indeed, nevertheless, however, I believe, of course, for once, obviously, in my opinion, to tell the truth, and on the contrary.
PRACTICE LAP
Place all missing commas in the following sentences. Then, check your
answers at the end of the chapter.
6.
Sal’s uncle Joe is a mail carrier in Mississippi.
7.
Believe it or not Joe walks about five miles a day on his route.
8.
Last month he was chased by a neighborhood dog Rex while working
on his route.
9.
Fortunately he was able to run jump a fence and hop into his truck
for safety.
10.
Joe’s customer Mr. Henderson was careful to keep Rex inside from
then on.
37. Capitalization and Punctuation
¯
Use commas in dates, addresses, salutations (friendly letters
only!), and closings of letters.
·
Dates
Place a comma after the day of the week (if it’s mentioned), the day
of the month, and the year (if the sentence continues only):
Michael Jordan was born Sunday, February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn,
New York.
INSIDE TRACK
NO COMMA IS necessary if you’re writing only the day and month
or the month and year in a sentence:
Michael Jordan was born February 17.
Michael Jordan was born in February 1963.
·
Addresses
In friendly and business letters, and in sentences, there are places in
addresses you are expected to place commas:
Sentence/Text Form:
In order to receive credit for your payment, please remit check or
money order to Lamp Lighters Co., 54321 Main St., Roxbury, NJ 07876.
As you can see, commas need to be placed between the business or person’s name and the start of the street address, then after the street address,
and then between the city and state. No commas are necessary between the
state and the zip code.
27
38. 28 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
INSIDE TRACK
WHEN MENTIONING A city and state in a sentence (without a zip
code), a comma must also follow the state.
Last week, my dad traveled to Chicago, Illinois, on business.
The same rule holds true if you mention a country name:
He sometimes travels to Paris, France, in the spring.
Letter/Envelope Form:
Lamp Lighters Co.
54321 Main St.
Roxbury, NJ 07876
Only a comma between the city and state is necessary in this format.
·
Salutations and Closings
When greeting someone in a friendly letter, use a comma after his or
her name and after your closing:
Dear Aunt Josie,
Love,
¯
Use a comma before coordinating conjunctions that are followed
by an independent clause (a sentence). Coordinating conjunctions are and, but, for, nor, or, yet, and so.
I am 14 years old, and my brother, Jonathan, is 15.
He is older than I am, yet I’m taller than he is, so people think I’m older.
These can all be written as separate sentences:
I am 14 years old. My brother, Jonathan, is 15. He is older than I am.
I’m taller than he is. People think I’m older.
39. Capitalization and Punctuation
It is better, though, to combine them to avoid choppiness.
¯
Commas are used in direct quotations (the exact words that a person says).
· Direct Quotation Identifying the Speaker First:
Kevin said, “There’s a big rip in the back of your pants!”
These are the exact words of Kevin.
·
Direct Quotation with an Interrupter:
“There’s a big rip,” Kevin said, “in the back of your pants!”
Notice that the first part of Kevin’s sentence ends with a comma (after rip),
and again after the interrupting words Kevin said.
·
Indirect Quotation:
Kevin said that there is a big rip in the back of your pants.
This is someone conveying what Kevin said. No commas are needed.
¯
Use commas with titles and degrees only when they follow a person’s name.
Commas: In an emergency, call Jackson Foster, MD.
Lorraine Devonshire, PhD, has become president
of our state college.
No Commas: Call Dr. Foster in an emergency.
Dr. Lorraine Devonshire has become president of
our state college.
¯
Use commas when writing long numbers.
When writing numbers, especially long ones, your teachers expect you
to place commas in them to help readers understand the number more
easily. For instance, if you had the number 6307200 or 378432000, it
would take quite a bit of thought to decipher the numbers; what with
29
40. 30 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
counting how many numbers there are and then mentally grouping
them into threes to divide them into their billions, millions, hundred
thousands, thousands, hundreds, and so on. With the help of commas,
numbers are easily interpreted:
The average student spends 6,307,200 minutes, or 378,432,000
seconds, in school from first grade through high school graduation!
INSIDE TRACK
TO PLACE COMMAS properly in long numbers, begin at the far
right of the number and place a comma after every three digits:
The 2006 population of New Jersey, an area of 8,729 square miles,
was 8,724,560.
Numbers from 1 to 999 don’t require a comma. Nor do phone
numbers, page numbers, zip codes, years, serial numbers, and house
numbers. However, when you are writing a series of numbers, commas should be placed in between each number:
Study pages 112, 113, and 114 in your textbook to prepare for
tomorrow’s quiz on commas.
Red Bank, New Jersey, has four zip codes: 07701, 07702, 07703,
and 07704.
PRACTICE LAP
Add periods and commas where necessary in the following sentences. Then,
check your answers at the end of the chapter.
11.
Mr Eatmore S Pinach president of the Ban Brussels Sprouts Association
(BBSA) is heading a worldwide protest against the sale and consumption of the so-called wild cabbage.
41. Capitalization and Punctuation
12.
It seems its popularity has soared to new heights since the latest campaign The Brussels Sprout Tout has gone on tour throughout Europe
Asia and North America.
13.
The operation has prompted many widespread international antisprout movements among dark leafy greens lovers led by China’s Bok
Choy Switzerland’s Swiss Chard and North America’s renowned Dan
D Lyon Green.
14.
Donations to support the cause are greatly appreciated so please feel free
to give your time or money generously.
15.
Send all correspondence and contributions to BBSA 481 Bountiful
Blvd Verdant Valley CA 98765.
Colons and Semicolons—The Introducers and Connectors of
Punctuation
Colons are used to introduce a particular bit of information. Unlike commas,
which seem to have a million and one rules to follow, a colon simply introduces anything: a word, a sentence, a list, a quotation, a phrase. It says “here
is an example” or “an example is going to follow” to the reader (figuratively,
of course). Now, that’s not to say you can simply throw colons into your writing. There is some simple, yet important, colon etiquette to follow:
¯
Use a colon to introduce a list.
Please bring the following items to school on the first day: pencils,
a pen, notebook paper, and a binder. A more detailed list of needed
items will be given in class.
While colons usually signify a list to follow, the colons themselves may
NOT follow a verb or preposition:
Incorrect: On the first day of school, please bring: pencils, a
pen, notebook paper, and a binder.
31
42. 32 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Incorrect: On the first day of school, please bring pencils, a pen,
notebook paper, and a binder to: Mr. Stewart, Mrs.
Hodges, or Ms. Louise.
TIP: To play it safe, use a phrase like as follows or the following before the
colon (for example, the list is as follows: OR bring the following:).
¯
Use a colon to introduce an excerpt or long quotation.
In his first inaugural address to the United States of America, President John F. Kennedy said: . . . In your hands, my fellow citizens,
more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course.
Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans
has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty . . . And
so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you;
ask what you can do for your country.
¯
Use a colon to introduce the subtitle of a movie or book.
Ethan’s favorite movie is Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi.
Scott read Crispin: At the Edge of the World two times already this
summer.
¯
Use a colon to separate hours from minutes when writing the time.
It’s now 4:43 P.M.
The school record for the one-mile relay is 5:32:47.
¯
Use a colon in the salutation of a formal or business letter.
Dear Sir:
To Whom It May Concern:
Dear Mr. President:
The Semicolon—The Super Comma
The semicolon, a.k.a. the “super comma,” connects two related sentences to
emphasize their relationship to a reader. Typically, the second sentence
that follows makes a comment of some sort about the first or offers further
information about it—hence the relationship.
43. Capitalization and Punctuation
¯
Use a semicolon to separate two sentences (independent clauses)
that are related in topic and meaning.
Sentence 1: Waiting until the last minute, Jamon hurriedly finished his report.
Sentence 2: He made many careless mistakes.
Sentence 3: Waiting until the last minute, Jamon hurriedly finished his report; he made many careless mistakes.
Jamon made careless mistakes because he hurried to do his report. This
cause/effect is emphasized even more by being in the same sentence.
¯
Use a semicolon between two complete sentences that are separated
by some transitional words or phrases, or conjunctive adverbs.
Waiting until the last minute, Jamon hurriedly finished his report;
consequently, he made many careless mistakes.
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
HERE ARE SOME common conjunctive adverbs:
afterward
accordingly
besides
consequently
furthermore
hence
however
indeed
instead
likewise
moreover
nevertheless
nonetheless
otherwise
similarly
so
still
then
therefore
thus
33
44. 34 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
PRACTICE LAP
Add colons and semicolons where necessary in the following sentences.
Then, check your answers at the end of the chapter.
16.
Mom’s list included the following milk, eggs, butter, toothpaste, and soap.
17.
I was supposed to be home at 1130 A.M., but I got home at 130 P.M.
instead.
18.
Pratishta couldn’t decide whether to watch Ace Ventura Pet Detective or
Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
19.
The weather on Sunday was spectacular however we had to stay home
to paint.
20.
His new baby sister was precious her blue eyes were riveting.
Quotation Marks—It Must Be the Real Deal
Quotation marks, a.k.a. quotes, are used in writing to show the exact words
someone said—exactly. This exact account is called a direct quotation.
¯
Direct quotations require the use of opening and ending quotation marks.
Direct Quotation: “Mark always thinks he’s right,” said his little sister, Cheryl.
Indirect Quotation: Mark’s little sister, Cheryl, says Mark,
always thinks he’s right.
Here, the same message is conveyed, but the reader is able to distinguish
that the sentence with quotes are the exact wording from the speaker. The
indirect quotation, called hearsay, means just that—someone saying what
he or she heard someone else say . . . make sense?
45. Capitalization and Punctuation
¯
Don’t place quotes around someone’s thoughts (his or her ideas
that are not spoken aloud).
Correct: These math problems are pretty difficult—will I pass
this test? Elisabeth thought.
Incorrect: “These math problems are pretty difficult—will I pass
this test?” Elisabeth thought.
¯
Use quotes to convey uncertainty or misgivings.
You know, Tracy, I don’t know how you can call this a “friendship”
when all you do is avoid me every chance you get. We have been socalled “friends,” well, “forever,” and I can’t believe you would do
“this” to me!
Sometimes, like in the sample you just read, people can get carried away
with using quotes to show emphasis, so just be cautious.
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
HERE ARE SOME helpful guidelines about quotations to guide you:
¯ Capitalize the first letter to begin a quotation:
“I feel like eating peppermint ice cream; do you?” asked Alexa.
¯ Periods, question marks, and exclamation marks usually go
inside the closing quotes. Colons and semicolons do NOT:
Mrs. Kirby, the librarian, told me about the “rule of thumb”:
Read the first page and hold up one finger for each word I
don’t know. If I get to my thumb, the book is too hard.
¯ Use a comma before the opening quotes when words that
identify the speaker come right before the quote:
Sandy chided, “Your dog is staring at me and it’s giving me
the creeps.”
¯ When there is an interrupter to identify the speaker in the middle of the quote, each part of the quotation is enclosed in quotation marks. The first part of the quote ends with a comma
35
46. 36 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
enclosed in the end quotes. The interrupting words are
followed by a comma before the opening quotes:
“Soon I’ll be 14,” bragged Frank, “so I can get a part-time job!”
Notice also that so is not capitalized. That is because it is not starting a new sentence, but is a continuation of Frank’s first sentence.
¯ If a speaker is saying two separate sentences, each sentence
begins with a capital letter within the opening quotes. As well,
a period, not a comma, is used to punctuate the interrupter:
“You’re lucky, Frank,” remarked Lauren. “Fourteen doesn’t
come for me until next October.”
PRACTICE LAP
Identify any words or sentences that require quotation marks, and properly
place commas and endmarks in the following sentences. Then, check your
answers at the end of the chapter.
21.
Remember, class, said Mr. McDermott, tomorrow is Spirit Day, so wear
green!
22.
I don’t think I have anything green, thought Julie. I wonder if Kevin will
let me borrow his football jersey.
23.
This will be the third thing you’ve borrowed from me this week! Kevin
said to Julie. Including the jersey, you have to make sure you return my
CD and my yearbook.
24.
Smiling, Julie replied, I’ll go get your yearbook and CD right now. I
wanted to show Carol a picture of Mike Wiley, a boy she likes.
25.
Uh, that’s more information than I needed to know, Jules. Just go get my
stuff, jibed Kevin, on his way out the door.
47. Capitalization and Punctuation
The Apostrophe—It’s Not Just a Matter of Possession
Plurals, possessives, contractions . . . the apostrophe plays many important,
and highly misused, roles in English grammar. Why, just down the road, a
local business owner proudly displays several flashing neon signs advertising his tasty wares:
Taco’s, Salad’s, and Soup’s to Go!
This, unfortunately, is an all-too-common appearance in stores from coast to
coast. Do you know what’s wrong with this sign? None of the words in the sign
needs an apostrophe because each item is a regular plural (plural means more
than one). Only on rare occasions do you need to add an apostrophe to create a
plural, which we’ll talk about later in the lesson. Let’s talk about contractions first.
Contractions—The Long and the Short of It
In informal writing, like a letter to your friend or your Aunt Josephine, you
can use shortened versions of words, called contractions. Contract means
“to squeeze together or shorten,” and contractions are two words that have
been shortened or squeezed together to make one. For instance, instead of
writing cannot, you write the contraction form of the word: can’t. So what
happens to the n and the o? The apostrophe stands in for them (cannot =
can’t). What is the contraction for I am? Right! I’m is the answer.
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
HERE ARE SOME more contractions:
AM
WILL
HAVE/HAS
HAD/WOULD
I
I’m
I’ll
I’ve
I’d
YOU
you’re
you’ll
you’ve
you’d
HE
he’s
he’ll
he’s
he’d
SHE
she’s
she’ll
she’s
he’d
IT
it’s
it’ll
it’s
it’d
THEY
they’re
they’ll
they’ve
they’d
WE
we’re
we’ll
we’ve
we’d
37
48. 38 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Here are the helping verbs in negative form:
IS + not = isn’t
ARE + not = aren’t
WAS + not = wasn’t
WERE + not = weren’t
HAVE + not = haven’t
HAS + not = hasn’t
HAD + not = hadn’t
CAN + not = can’t
DO + not = don’t
DID + not = didn’t
SHOULD + not = shouldn’t
WOULD + not = wouldn’t
COULD + not = couldn’t
INSIDE TRACK
REMEMBER THAT ONLY in informal writing is it acceptable to use
contractions. Your teachers will likely discourage you from using
contractions in schoolwork, such as reports and essays.
Possessives—Whose Is It, Anyway?
Possessives are nouns that show ownership—that something belongs to
something else. Be careful, because these can be tricky. First, before adding
an apostrophe, you need to make certain that the word you’re using actually
implies possession. Take the word story, for example:
Singular: The ghost story had a scary plot.
Plural: The ghost stories had a scary plot.
Neither of these sentences uses the word story or stories in a possessive way.
49. Capitalization and Punctuation
¯
To make a singular noun possessive, add an ’s.
Singular Possessive: The ghost story’s plot was scary.
Here, the sentence implies that the plot belonging to the one ghost story
was scary. The story possesses the plot, thus making it the story’s plot. Let’s
try another one:
My younger brothers name is Christian.
Where does the apostrophe need to be placed? What word is implying possession of something? Right, brother’s—the name, Christian, belongs to my
younger brother. The word brother needs an ’s.
¯
To make a plural noun ending in ’s possessive, add an apostrophe
AFTER the final ’s.
Plural Possessive: The ghost stories’ plots were scary.
Here, the sentence implies that the plots belonging to more than one ghost
story were scary. The stories possess the plots, thus making them the stories’
plots. Let’s try another one:
The boys soccer trophies were placed on the table in rows.
Again, where does the apostrophe need to be placed? What word is implying possession of something? Right, boys’—the trophies belong to the boys.
The word boys needs an apostrophe AFTER the ’s in boys.
Do all plural nouns end in s? Most do, but not all. There are some nouns
that take on a completely different spelling when they turn plural, like children, for example. Or women. Can you think of others? How about geese,
mice, people, feet, men, teeth. . .? There are many more. In any of these cases,
these words are treated like the singular nouns, and ’s is added to them to
form a possessive.
The geese’s V formation in the sky was impressive as they flew
overhead.
39
50. 40 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
¯
To make a singular noun ending in s possessive, you can add an ’s
OR add an apostrophe after the s.
To some, it may seem odd to add an ’s after another s somehow, but
that’s one correct way to do it!
Marty Reynolds’s jacket was left on the school bus yesterday.
You may also write the sentence like this:
Marty Reynolds’ jacket was left on the school bus yesterday.
It is best to follow the way your teacher wishes to avoid problems.
PRACTICE LAP
See if you can find all of the apostrophe mistakes in these sentences. You can
check your answers at the end of the chapter.
26.
I do’nt believe Iv’e ever seen a five-toed cat before, have you?
27.
Miss Marples’ detective skills are as clever as Sherlock Holmes’s flair for
solving crimes.
28.
These childrens picture book’s have become too easy for you. Lets
choose a more challenging book to read this time.
29.
Werent you at my sister Tracys’ birthday party two week’s ago?
30.
I heard that your fathers got two sports cars!
Hyphens and Dashes—So Alike, Yet So Different
Aside from their similar looks—hyphens getting the short end of the bargain,
so to say—they each perform completely different jobs in our writing.
Hyphens, for instance, divide words at the ends of lines, hyphenate numbers
and compound words, and help out some prefixes and suffixes to help avoid
confusion.
51. Capitalization and Punctuation
¯
Use a hyphen with the prefixes great-, all-, half-, ex-, self-, and the
suffix -elect:
great-grandfather
all-knowing
half-hearted
ex-girlfriend
self-control
mayor-elect
¯
great-grandmother
all-powerful
half-truth
ex-president
self-reliant
governor-elect
Use a hyphen to join capital letters to form a new word:
X-ray
T-square
T-shirt
R-rated
or at the syllable break and between double letters of a word at the
end of a line of writing:
- Jan-u-ary
¯
ten-nis
- ad-o-les-cent
- but-ter-fly
Use a hyphen to write numbers 21–99 in word form and to write
fractions as words:
Twenty-nine forty-six one-third eight-tenths
or write numbers as a score or a date:
The final score of the Force vs. Sonics play-off game was 16-18.
The newspaper dated 3-17-06 contains the detailed article.
The date may also be written using slashes instead: 3/17/06.
¯
Use a hyphen to clarify some words where re- means to redo
something, or where the spelling of two words put together
would be awkward:
Michael tried to recollect how he planned to re-collect the books
he mistakenly deposited in the library bin.
41
52. 42 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Michael is trying to remember how he planned to get the books back that
he gave to the library by mistake.
The shell-like glass dish was badly chipped.
l
Without the hyphen, shell-like would have been written shelllike, which
is an awkward combination of three l’s together.
¯
Use a dash to emphasize a “by-the-way” or incidental thought in
your writing:
Her father brought two-dozen roses—beautiful pink and white
ones wrapped in tulle—to her graduation party!
¯
Use a dash to set off a short series or list in a sentence:
Acceptable: At the zoo, we saw many exotic animals like
bongos, capybaras, echidnas, kinkajous, and an
okapi.
Better Choice: At the zoo, we saw many exotic animals—bongos,
capybaras, echidnas, kinkajous, and an okapi.
INSIDE TRACK
A DASH CAN be used much like a colon. It gives your writing a less
formal tone, where colons are more formal.
Parentheses and Brackets—By the Way
Between the two punctuation marks, you are bound to see many more parentheses than brackets in writing simply because they are more “functional.”
53. Capitalization and Punctuation
¯
When you want to provide your reader with extra information in
the middle, or even the end, of your sentence, you can place that
information inside parentheses (this is called a parenthetical
comment).
Margie (who is one of the best dancers on the team) took a spill
on stage last night and twisted her ankle.
Important: You can take the information in the parentheses out of the
sentence, and the sentence still will make sense to the reader.
¯
Dates and page numbers are commonly placed inside
parentheses.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827), one of the world’s most
famous composers, continued to write musical masterpieces even
though he went deaf in his thirties. More information about
Beethoven can be found in Chapter 22 (pages 97–113).
¯
Parentheses can be used to enclose numbers or letters meant to
itemize information.
To make your bed, choose your favorite sheets and (a) place the fitted sheet snuggly around the mattress; (b) drape the flat sheet on
top (preferably straight and even) and tuck the bottom of the sheet
between the mattress and box spring; (c) place your pillow inside
the pillowcase and put it at the head of the bed; and (d) cover the
bed with a quilt or blanket to stay toasty-warm. All that’s left is to
hop in and snooze!
Note: (a), (b), (c), and (d) may be replaced with (1), (2), (3), and (4).
¯
When you want to insert an editorial (your own comments)
within quoted material, use brackets.
Bill said, “It [the Super Bowl] was great! They [the Colts] played
like champions today!”
43
54. 44 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
¯
Use brackets to alter the capitalization of a word in a quote in
order to make it fit in your sentence or paragraph scheme. For
example:
The directions specifically say to “[t]urn off the power before trying to connect the VCR to the television.”
The directions would have originally read Turn off the power . . . in the source
this quote came from.
Italics and Underlining—The Attention Getters
Before modern technology, writing was done mostly by hand. The option of
italicizing words was all but impossible, so underlining was used to emphasize
words. Today, we use both interchangeably, with just the touch of a button.
¯
Italicize or underline the titles of long works, such as books, magazines, newspapers, movies, TV shows, albums, plays, long poems, and
musicals.
Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting
Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting
The Chicago Sun
The Chicago Sun
Robert Frost’s poem Birches
Robert Frost’s poem Birches
Use quotation marks around the titles of stories, songs, short poems,
articles, and other smaller works.
INSIDE TRACK
DON’T BE FICKLE and use italics in one paragraph or entry, and
then underline in the next one. You must be consistent in your choice.
Pick one and then stick with it the entire time.
55. Capitalization and Punctuation
¯
Italicize foreign words in your writing.
The French word bonjour means “hello.”
¯
Italicize or underline words in sentences you want to emphasize
for the reader.
Can you tell the difference in the meanings of these four sentences?
Maria was sad.
[Okay, Maria was sad.]
Maria was sad.
[Oh, it was Maria who was sad.]
Maria was sad.
[Good, Maria’s no longer sad.]
Maria was sad.
[I see; she wasn’t glad, she was sad.]
When we read, we have to sometimes interpret the speech patterns of the
writer (or speaker). Using italics allows us to help our readers in that
interpretation.
The Ellipsis—You Don’t Say . . .
When you encounter three single-spaced periods in your reading . . . it means
one of a couple of things:
¯
An ellipsis indicates that some words before or after the dots have
been left out.
“. . . but I didn’t do it!” sobbed AJ.
Grandpa went on. “You know, when I was a little boy I had to walk
seven miles, barefoot, in the snow . . . and then over that mountain
over there, and then . . .”
¯
An ellipsis indicates a pause in between words or thoughts.
“I’m not afraid of the dark . . . but I’d still like the light on until I
fall asleep,” Raymond whispered.
45
56. 46 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
When you write and want to use an ellipsis, be careful not to leave out
important information that would intentionally mislead the reader of the
speaker’s message:
Journalist Jess D. Faks reports that actress superstar, Holly Wood,
said in her acceptance speech, “I owe ALL of my success to . . . me
. . . not . . . my fans and my manager.”
Hmm . . . it seems that Mr. Faks decided to omit some very important
words from his citation. If Mr. Faks had not misused the ellipses, we would
have known what Holly had REALLY said:
“I owe ALL of my success to many special people who have supported me through my highs and lows: my parents and teachers,
and of course, I cannot forget my fans and my manager.”
PRACTICE LAP
Can you identify the mistakes in the following sentences? You may check
your answers at the end of the chapter.
31.
The vice president elect spoke briefly about the president.
32.
The Gary Paulsen novel Brian’s Winter, a story of survival in the Canadian wilderness, would make a good G rated movie for kids.
33.
Some ski resorts use gondolas and Tbars to transport skiers to the top
of the mountain.
34.
Twenty two is my lucky number. What’s yours?
35.
Louisa May Alcott 1832–1888 was thirty five when she wrote Little
Women.
57. Capitalization and Punctuation
ANSWERS
Reminder: (1) Periods signify the end of declarative and imperative sentences, (2) question marks are used after a question, and (3) exclamations
signify strong feelings or emotion.
1. The sun was shining in my window when I woke up.
2. Did you see the tightrope walker at the circus?
3. The honest stranger found a wallet and returned it to its owner.
4. Ouch! That hurt!
5. Excellent work class. I am very proud of you!
Reminder: Use commas (1) to separate series of three or more items in a sentence, (2) with an introductory word or phrase, and (3) before and after a
word or phrase that is meant to rename or describe a noun that precedes it
(an appositive).
6. Sal’s uncle, Joe, is a mail carrier in Mississippi.
7. Believe it or not, Joe walks about five miles a day on his route.
8. Last month, he was chased by a neighborhood dog, Rex, while working
on his route.
9. Fortunately, he was able to run, jump a fence, and hop into his truck
for safety.
10. Joe’s customer, Mr. Henderson, was careful to keep Rex inside from
then on.
Reminder: Also use commas (1) in dates and addresses, (2) to set off expressions, and (3) with titles and degrees.
11. Mr. Eatmore S. Pinach, president of the Ban Brussels Sprouts Association (BBSA), is heading a worldwide protest against the sale and consumption of the so-called “wild cabbage.”
12. It seems its popularity has soared to new heights since the latest campaign, The Brussels Sprout Tout, has gone on tour throughout Europe,
Asia, and North America.
13. The operation has prompted many widespread international anti-sprout
movements among dark, leafy greens lovers, led by China’s Bok Choy,
47
58. 48 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Switzerland’s Swiss Chard, and North America’s renown Dan D. Lyon
Green.
14. Donations to support the cause are greatly appreciated, so please feel
free to give your time or money generously.
15. Send all correspondence and contributions to BBSA, 481 Bountiful
Blvd., Verdant Valley, CA, 98765.
Reminder: Use colons to (1) introduce a list, (2) introduce the subtitle of a
movie or book, and (3) separate hours from minutes when writing the time.
Use a semicolon (4) to separate two related sentences and (5) between two
complete sentences that are separated by transitional words or phrases.
16. Mom’s list included the following: milk, eggs, butter, toothpaste, and soap.
17. I was supposed to be home at 11:30 A.M., but I got home at 1:30 P.M.
instead.
:
18. Pratishta couldn’t decide whether to watch Ace Ventura: Pet Detective or
:
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
19. The weather on Sunday was spectacular; however, we had to stay home
to paint.
20. His new baby sister was precious; her blue eyes were riveting.
Reminder: (1) Direct quotations require the use of opening and ending
quotation marks; (2) don’t place quote around someone’s thoughts; and (3)
use quotes to convey uncertainty or misgivings.
21. “Remember, class,” said Mr. McDermott, “tomorrow is Spirit Day, so
wear green!”
22. I don’t think I have anything green, thought Julie. I wonder if Kevin will
let me borrow his football jersey.
23. “This will be the third thing you’ve borrowed from me this week!”
Kevin said to Julie. “Including the jersey, you have to make sure you
return my CD and my yearbook.”
24. Smiling, Julie replied, “I‘ll go get your yearbook and CD right now. I
wanted to show Carol a picture of Mike Wiley, a boy she likes.”
25. “Uh, that’s more information than I needed to know, Jules. Just go get
my stuff,” jibed Kevin, on his way out the door.
59. Capitalization and Punctuation
Reminder: (1) Contractions are two words shortened or squeezed together
with an apostrophe; (2) to make a singular noun possessive, add an ’s; (3) to
make a plural noun ending in s possessive, add an apostrophe AFTER the
final s; (4) to make a singular noun ending in s possessive, add an ’s OR add
an apostrophe after the s; (5) when writing abbreviations with more than one
period, add an ’s to denote more than to make it plural.
26. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a five-toed cat before, have you?
27. Miss Marple’s detective skills are as clever as Sherlock Holmes’ (or
Holmes’s) flair for solving crimes.
28. These children’s picture books have become too easy for you. Let’s
choose a more challenging book to read this time.
29. Weren’t you at my sister Tracy’s birthday party two weeks ago?
30. I heard that your father’s got two sports cars!
Reminder: Use hyphens (1) with some prefixes, (2) to join capital letters to
form a new word, (3) to write numbers 21–99 in word form or as a date. Also,
(4) dates and page numbers can be placed inside parentheses, and (5) italicize or underline the titles of long works, like books.
31. The vice president-elect spoke briefly about the president.
32. The Gary Paulsen novel Brian’s Winter, a story of survival in the Canadian wilderness, would make a good G-rated movie for kids.
(Brian’s Winter may also be italicized.)
33. Some ski resorts use gondolas and T-bars to transport skiers to the top
of the mountain.
34. Twenty-two is my lucky number. What’s yours?
35. Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888) was thirty-five when she wrote Little
Women.
(Little Women may also be italicized.)
49
60.
61. 3
Spelling
Spell Well . . . with a Few
Exceptions
J
ust how important is spelling anyway? Well, it can make
the difference between someone understanding and appreciating
your idea and someone walking away baffled. How important is that to you?
You know, it wasn’t that long ago when students had only dictionaries to
turn to in order to check their spelling errors, and not the ones on the
Internet, but the books on shelves that lined the walls in classrooms and
libraries. In this high-tech age, when computers line the walls of classrooms and libraries, and are turning into common household items, many
think that dictionaries are becoming a thing of the past—what with the convenience of “spell check” just the click of a mouse away. But don’t be too
quick to throw that dictionary away just yet! It could come in handy more
than you think. Take a look at this.
Ewe mite knot awl weighs sea yore riding miss takes write a weigh,
sew ewe halve two Czech care fully. Men knee mite yews tulles, like
ay computer, two tri too fined and altar thee mist aches, butt sum
thymes it seas write thru them.
The English language has 26 letters in its alphabet (21 consonants and 5
vowels) and 19 different vowel combinations to make up a total of 44
sounds, called phonemes. It would be easy if all you had to do was memorize
44 sounds to help you spell words . . . but, alas, this is English, and these 44
62. 52 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
sounds are spelled in almost 1,000 different ways, thus making the household
dictionary not obsolete, but a necessity. Spelling rules and patterns can
help you learn to spell many words, although you must keep in mind that
you’ll regularly run into rule exceptions. Let’s take a look at some basic
spelling rules.
COMMON SPELLING RULES
Words with ei or ie
Have you heard this mnemonic before?
Write i before e except after c or when sounding like a as in neighbor
and weigh.
I before E
Except after C
When Sounding Like A
thief
friend
ceiling
weigh neighbor
relief
achieve
deceive receive
vein
sleigh
niece
believe
conceit
reign
eight
receipt
deceit
INSIDE TRACK
FOLLOWING ARE SOME exceptions to the rule.
either, neither, seize, seizure, leisure, weird, foreign, height, glacier,
ancient, being, feisty, protein, counterfeit, sovereign
63. Spelling
PRACTICE LAP
For the following questions, choose either ie or ei to spell each word given
correctly. Then, check your answers at the end of the chapter.
1.
rel
2.
dec
3.
ch
4.
w
f
5.
sh
6.
v
n
10.
for
f
7.
s
ve
11.
y
ld
rd
8.
fr
ght
12.
n
ce
ve
ld
ght
9.
gn
Doubling the Final Consonant
t n t
When a one-syllable word (bat, can, put) ends with a consonant (bat, can, put)
a a u
that is preceded by one vowel (bat, can, put), you should double the final consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel (e.g., -ed, -ing, -er). For
instance:
t
t
t
bat batting batted batter
n
n
n
can canning canned canner
When a multisyllable word (patrol, forget, occur) ends with a consonant
l
t
r
o
e
u
(patrol, forget, occur) that is preceded by a vowel (patrol, refer, occur), and ends
T
F
C
with a stressed syllable (pa-TROL, re-FER, oc-CUR), you should double the
final consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel (e.g., -ed,
-ing, -al, -ence, -ant). For instance:
l
l
l
repel repelling repelled repellant
r
r
r
refer referring referred referral
r
r
r
occur occurring occurred occurrence
53
64. 54 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
IF THE MULTISYLLABLE word ends with a consonant preceded
by a vowel, but has its final syllable unstressed (TRA-vel, HON-or,
REV-el), do not double the final consonant before adding the suffix
(e.g., -ing, -ed, -er, -ary). For instance:
travel
traveling
traveled
traveler
honor
honoring
honored
honorary
revel
reveling
reveled
reveler
Also, words ending in -x, -y, or -w do not double the final consonant
before adding a suffix. For instance:
mix
mixing
mixed
mixer
crow
crowing
crowed
crower
play
playing
played
player
Last, words whose final consonant are preceded by two vowels do
not double the final consonant before adding a suffix. For instance:
reveal
revealing
revealed
revealer
wait
waiting
waiting
waiter
When a prefix being added to a word ends with the same letter the main
word begins with, include both letters in the new word. For instance:
s
s
mis + spell = misspell
n
n
un + necessary = unnecessary
l
l
il + logical = illogical
65. Spelling
Likewise, when a suffix is being added to a word that ends with the same
letter the suffix begins with, include both letters in the new word. For
example:
l
l
musical + ly = musically
n
n
open + ness = openness
n
n
even + ness = evenness
INSIDE TRACK
ACCORDING TO THIS rule, eighteen should be spelled eight +
teen = eightteen, but it is not.
Finally, when you are making a compound word and the final consonant
letter of the first word is the same as the first consonant letter of the second
word, include all letters, even if the letters are repeated. For example:
n
n
can + not = cannot
k
k
book + keeper = bookkeeper
s
s
news + stand = newsstand
INSIDE TRACK
ACCORDING TO THIS rule, pastime should be spelled past +
time = pasttime, but it is not.
55
66. 56 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
PRACTICE LAP
Choose the correct ending to spell each word correctly. Then, check your
answers at the end of the chapter.
13.
steal
stealling
stealing
14.
shop
shopped
shoped
15.
tax
taxing
taxxing
16.
step
stepping
steping
17.
compel
compelling
compeling
18.
portray
portrayed
portrayyed
19.
draw
drawwing
drawing
20.
need
needed
needded
21.
perplex
perplexxing
perplexing
22.
keep
keeping
keepping
The Silent E
When a word ends with a silent e, the e is dropped before adding the suffix
that begins with a vowel (e.g., -ing, -ed, -er, -able). For instance:
e
use
using
e
debate debating
e
move moving
used
user
debated debater
moved mover
usable
debatable
movable
67. Spelling
When a suffix is being added that begins with a consonant (e.g., -ly, -ment,
-ful), leave the e at the end of the word. For instance:
e
e
love lovely
e
e
agree agreement
e
e
grace graceful
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
WORDS THAT END in -ce and -ge and have a suffix beginning with
-a or -o added to it (e.g., -able and -ous) keep the final e. For instance:
outrage
outrageous
enforce
enforceable
courage
courageous
service
serviceable
Also, words that end in -ee keep the final e before some suffixes
beginning with a vowel (e.g., -ing, -able). For instance:
agree
agreeing
agreeable
see
seeing
seeable
foresee
foreseeing
foreseeable
Finally, there are words that don’t follow the aforementioned rules and
whose spelling will need to be memorized. For instance:
argument
truly
ninth
These words keep the final e because dropping it would lead the
reader to think it was a completely different word. For instance:
singe
singeing
Without the e, the word would read “fa-la-la” singing, not “oh, this is
burning” singeing. For another instance:
dye
dyeing
Without the e, the word would read “soon to be not living” dying, not
“I prefer this shade of red for streaking my hair” dyeing.
57
68. 58 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
PRACTICE LAP
Choose the correct ending to spell each word given correctly. Then, check
your answers at the end of the chapter.
23.
compete
competting
competing
24.
hope
hopful
hopeful
25.
pale
paling
paleing
26.
state
stated
statted
27.
compile
compilling
compiling
28.
like
likly
likely
29.
manage
management managment
30.
take
taken
takn
31.
amaze
amazeing
amazing
32.
arrive
arrived
arriveed
Words Ending in -Y
When -y is the final letter, change the -y to -i before adding the suffix. For
instance:
y
happy
y
lazy
y
faulty
i
i
happily happiness
i
i
lazily
laziness
i
i
faultily faultiness
69. Spelling
INSIDE TRACK
IF THE SUFFIX being added to the word ending in y begins with
an -i (e.g., -ing), the y should remain. For example:
try
trying
qualify
qualifying
horrify
horrifying
When the -y at the end of the word is preceded by a vowel, the -y is not
changed but remains the same when a suffix is added. For instance:
y
y
employ employing
y
y
annoy annoying
y
y
enjoying
enjoy
y
y
employed employment
y
y
annoyed annoyance
y
y
enjoyed
enjoyment
INSIDE TRACK
HERE ARE SOME words that don’t follow this rule.
day daily
gay gaily
pay paid
say said
lay laid
PRACTICE LAP
Identify the word in each group that is spelled correctly. Then, check your
answers at the end of the chapter.
33.
beauty
beautyful
beautiful
beautuful
34.
fancy
fanciful
fanceful
fancyful
35.
duty
dutiful
duteful
dutyful
59
70. 60 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
36.
fuzzy
fuzzyness
fuzzieness
fuzziness
37.
lazy
laziness
lazyness
lazieness
-tion, -cian, or -sion?
The “shun” sound, spelled three different ways (-tion, -cian, -sion), is pronounced the same in all three spellings. Each suffix, though, is used with different kinds of root words. How will you know which one to choose? It’s
simple. Take a look.
Here is a list of words ending in -cian. Can you see a pattern for the spelling
rule this suffix will follow?
c
electrician
c
beautician
c
musician
c
magician
c
physician
c
optician
c
politician
c
mathematician
All of these -cian words involve people and their careers or hobbies. So,
-cian is used only when the spelling word has to do with people. The suffixes
-tion and -sion are never used with these “people words.”
Okay, let’s see if you can identify the next spelling pattern for the spelling
rule for the suffix -sion.
d
extend
d
suspend
s
suppress
s
extension
s
suspension
s
suppression
d
comprehend
d
apprehend
s
aggress
s
comprehension
s
apprehension
s
aggression
Notice that all of the root words end in -s or -d. When the root word ends
in -s or -d, the suffix -sion is used to make the noun form of verbs ending in
-s or -d.
Additionally, one more rule applies to the -sion suffix. Can you spot it?
division
conclusion
adhesion
exclusion
vision
Do you hear a heavy “zhun” sound instead of the soft “shun” sound in these
words? When a word contains a heavy “zhun,” it is spelled with -sion only.
71. Spelling
INSIDE TRACK
VERBS WITH THE ending -mit use the suffix -mission to make the
noun form of the word. For instance:
permit
permission
submit
commit
commission
submission
Last, if the root word ends in -t or -te, then -tion is used to make the noun
form of the verb. For instance:
t
protect
t
reject
t
contribute
t
protection
t
rejection
t
contribution
t
project
t
attribute
t
educate
t
projection
t
attribution
t
education
PRACTICE LAP
Choose the correct ending for the following words. Then, check your
answers at the end of the chapter.
38.
confuse
39.
opposite
opposi
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
40.
confess
confes
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
41.
elect
elec
42.
magic
magi
43.
describe
descrip
44.
collide
colli
confu
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
61
72. 62 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
45.
extend
enten
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
46.
explode
explo
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
47.
beauty
beauti
(-sion, -cian, -tion)
The Letter Q
With the rapid growth and assimilation of world cultures in the United States
over the past century, and the swift development of technology making the
world “smaller” every day, American English becomes more and more infused
with the influence of foreign words. With that comes the ever-growing list of
exceptions to the spelling rules, some of which you have seen already.
In the English language, the letter q must be followed by a u in a word. Primarily, the use of the letter q in English is derived from the influence of the
French language. Words such as queue, quarter, question, and picturesque are
a ubiquitous part of everyday spoken language. You may run into other q
words, such as Qatar, Iraq, Iraqi, Qantas, and Compaq in the news and in
advertisements. All of these words are proper nouns, and simply because they
are proper nouns, they become exceptions to this rule. Why? Because
spelling rules apply only to common, everyday words, not special ones.
PRACTICE LAP
Use the clues to help you choose the correct q word from the word bank to
place in the blank. The letter q may be found at the beginning, middle, or end
of the words. Then, check your answers at the end of the chapter.
Q WORD BANK
quizzical
quick
quagmire
quail
quality
question
quake
quack
racquet
bouquet
unique
physique
plaque
conquer
banquet
sequel
frequently
opaque
48.
a bunch of flowers
49.
a dilemma
73. Spelling
50.
a large spread of food
51.
the continuation of a story
52.
a query
53.
to shake
54.
to overtake by force
55.
not transparent or see-through
56.
fast
57.
reward of recognition
58.
often
59.
a small game bird
PREFIXES AND SUFFIXES
Adding prefixes, groups of letters that have a significant meaning, to the
beginnings of words does not change the spelling of the original words
(called root words). When a prefix is added, its meaning is combined with
the original root word’s meaning to form a new word. English prefixes and
suffixes commonly come from Latin and Greek words, although Old English
(Anglo-Saxon) was borrowed from as well. Take the Greek prefix astro-, for
example. Astro- means “star” in Greek. Can you think of words beginning
with astro- that have to do with stars and space? What about astronaut,
astrology, astronomy, or asteroid?
Suffixes are added to the ends of words. Many suffixes actually change
the original word’s part of speech when they are added. For example, the verb
bowl becomes the noun bowler when the suffix -er is added. Adding suffixes
often requires that the spelling of the original word alter in some way,
which is what makes spelling so challenging. Like prefixes, suffixes are
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74. 64 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
derived from Greek, Latin, and Old English (Anglo-Saxon) words. Following are some of these common prefixes and suffixes.
Common Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefix
Meaning
Example
acro-
high, top
acrobatics
aero-
air
aerobics
agri-
fields
agriculture
alti-
high
altitude
ambul-
walk, move around
ambulance
amphi-
around, both
amphibian
anima-
life, breath, soul
animal
ante-
before, prior
antecedent
anthro-
man
anthropologist
anti-
against
antipathy
aqua-
water
aquarium
arthro-
joint
arthropod
atom-
gas, vapor
atmosphere
audio-
sound, hearing
audience
auto-
self, itself
automatic
bi-
two, double
bicycle
biblio-
book
bibliography
bio-
life
biography
cardio-
heart
cardiologist
centi-
hundred
centipede
chlor-
green
chlorophyll
chrono-
time
chronology
circum-
round
circumference
co-
together
cooperation
cour-
heart
courage
crypto-
secret
cryptography
deca-
ten
decade
deci-
tenth
decimal
dent-
tooth
dentist
76. 66 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Prefix
Meaning
Example
sub-
below, under
submarine
terra-
land
terrain
thermo-
heat
thermometer
trans-
across, beyond
transportation
un-
not
unhappy
uni-
one
united
vice-
in place of
vice president
zoo-
animal
zoology
Suffix
Meaning
Example
-able
can do
capable
-ancy
condition
vacancy
-archy
rule
monarchy
-chrome
color
monochrome
-cide
kill
homicide
-cracy
rule
democracy
-derm
skin
dermatologist
-ful
characterized by
cheerful
-gram
writing
telegram
-graph
writing
autograph
-ist
one who
pianist
-itis
disease
bronchitis
-less
without
homeless
-ment
act of, result
disappointment
-meter
instrument
speedometer
-ness
state of, quality
goodness
-pathy
feeling, suffering
sympathy
-phobia
fear of
claustrophobia
-phone
sound
telephone
-ward
direction of
westward
-y
full of
salty
77. Spelling
ANSWERS
Reminder: Write i before e except after c or when sounding like a as in neighbor and weigh (with a few exceptions).
1. relief
5. shield
9. eight
2. deceive
6. vein
10. foreign
3. chief
7. sieve
11. yield
4. weird
8. freight
12. niece
Reminder: (1) When a one-syllable word ends with a consonant that is preceded by a vowel, double the final consonant before adding a suffix that
begins with a vowel; (2) when a multisyllable word ends with a consonant
that is preceded by a vowel, and ends with a stressed syllable, double the final
consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel; (3) when a prefix or suffix is being added to a word that begins or ends with the same letter, include both letters in the new word.
13. steal
stealing
14. shop
shopped
15. tax
taxing
16. step
stepping
17. compel
compelling
18. portray
portrayed
19. draw
drawing
20. need
needed
21. perplex
perplexing
22. keep
keeping
Reminder: (1) When a word ends with a silent e, the e is dropped before
adding the suffix that begins with a vowel; and (2) when a suffix is being
added that begins with a consonant, leave the e at the end of the word.
23. compete competing
24. hope
hopeful
25. pale
paling
26. state
stated
27. compile compiling
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78. 68 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
like
manage
take
amaze
arrive
likely
management
taken
amazing
arrived
Reminder: (1) When -y is the final letter, change the -y to -i before adding
the suffix.
33. beauty
beautiful
34. fancy
fanciful
35. duty
dutiful
36. fuzzy
fuzziness
37. lazy
laziness
Reminder: (1) Words with the -cian suffix involve people and their careers
or hobbies; (2) when the root word ends in -s or -d, the suffix -sion is used
to make the noun form of verbs; and (3) if the root word ends in -t or -te, then
-tion is used to make the noun form of the verb.
38. confuse
confusion
39. oppose
opposition
40. confess
confession
41. elect
election
42. magic
magician
43. describe description
44. collide
collision
45. extend
extension
46. explode explosion
47. beauty
beautician
Reminder: In English, the letter q must be followed by a u.
48. bouquet
54. conquer
49. quagmire
55. opaque
50. banquet
56. quick
51. sequel
57. plaque
52. question
58. frequently
53. quake
59. quail
79. 4
Verbs
The Movers and Shakers
of Language
I
magine having a lively conversation with your friend
about a recent hit movie, each of you contorting your faces and waving your arms about, as in a game of charades. If we lacked verbs in our language, this would be about the only way that we could get our points across:
by mimicking. Luckily, with the use of verbs—the movers and shakers of any
written and spoken language—you can convey your ideas not only expressively, but also with a wide variety of colorful, vivid choices. For instance, let’s
see in how many ways L. E. Phant and Pac A. Derm, a pair of loxodonta
africanus, trek across the Kenyan savannah.
The pair walk . . . then decide to stomp . . . and march . . . and then
parade . . . after which, they lumber . . . trudge . . . and plod . . . then
finally, overcome with exhaustion, they hobble and limp their way
to the forest.
Okay, so these action verbs are pretty obvious. But are they all? Well, no.
Some are less physical, and more mental: want, need, require, think, suppose,
know, wonder, hope, feel, mean, remember, understand, see, find, consider,
love, like, etc. The action is there; it’s just not visible.
80. 70 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
LINKING AND HELPING VERBS: MAKE THE CONNECTION!
The linking verb does not express action, but expresses a state of being or
a condition. Specifically, this kind of verb links, or connects, a noun to an
adjective or other noun.
Rosemarie is thoughtful. (Thoughtful describes Rosemarie; is links
the two.)
Mark became a soccer coach. (Coach identifies Mark; became links
the two.)
The bananas looked ripe. (Ripe describes bananas; looked links the
two.)
Identifying some linking verbs can be tricky because they look like action
verbs. Their job, however, is to clarify the condition of the related noun in the
sentence. Following is a short list of verbs that perform multiple tasks, and
act not only as action verbs, but also as linking verbs.
appear become
seem
smell
prove
act
feel
sound
turned
grow
stay
fall
look
taste
get
prove
come
remain
lie
How can one tell the difference with these tricky verbs? Take the word feels:
Meghan gently pets the cat and feels its soft fur.
Meghan is performing the action, to feel. Can you visualize her hand petting
and feeling the cat’s soft fur?
The cat begins to purr because it feels content.
The word feel connects the adjective content to the noun cat. Feel is acting
as a linking verb, not an action verb.
81. Verbs
Let’s try another one.
Mom remained calm even though she burned last night’s dinner.
The odor of charred fish remained in the house for a week.
In the first sentence, remained links Mom and the adjective calm, which
describes how Mom felt, whereas in the second sentence, remained is an
action verb, implying that the odor stayed behind.
An easy way to tell if a verb is an action or linking verb is to substitute the
verb with a verb form of to be, or another linking verb, like seem or become.
If you substitute the verb and it still makes sense, then you have a linking verb.
If it doesn’t, then it’s an action verb. Take a look at these examples.
The leaves turn orange and red every autumn.
Now, replace turn with the verb are.
The leaves are orange and red every autumn.
Or use the verb seem.
The leaves seem orange and red every autumn.
Let’s try another one.
When I turn the hair dryer on, it is very noisy.
Now, replace turn again with the verb was.
When I was the hair dryer on, it is noisy.
Or use became here.
When I became the hair dryer on, it is noisy.
These just don’t make sense, because the word turn in this sentence is an
action verb, not a linking verb.
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82. 72 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
PRACTICE LAP
See if you can tell whether the verbs in the following sentences is an action
verb or a linking verb. Remember to use the seem/became trick if you need
help. Then, check your answers at the end of the chapter.
1.
The ghost appeared in the window.
2.
The ghost appeared disgruntled as it passed by the window.
3.
Can you prove the theory of relativity?
4.
Your answer could prove faulty if you are not careful.
5.
We arrived late and had to stay overnight at a hotel this weekend.
6.
Mom asked us to stay quiet as we walked down the hallway.
7.
Have you tasted my newest candy bar creation?
8.
Yes, the Summit Sensation tasted delectable.
9.
The lunch bell sounds melodic, especially when you have a hungry
stomach.
10.
At noon, the clock sounds the bell to inform the students that it’s
lunchtime.
83. Verbs
Sometimes, you’ll encounter another type of verb in your writing and reading called a helping verb. Helping verbs enhance the main verb by providing more information about its tense. Some common helping verbs are am,
are, be, can, could, do, have, had, has, may, might, should, was, were, and
would, among others. A main verb can have as many as three helping verbs.
For instance:
Nathan was playing guitar yesterday.
He has been playing for quite a while now.
Next year, he will have been playing for 11 years total.
PRINCIPLE PARTS OF VERBS: PART AND PARCEL
Participles, verb forms that act like verbs or adjectives, are broken into four
principle parts:
1. Present—the verb form that is usually found as the main or first entry
in the dictionary, e.g., throw, sleep, dance, sit, ride, etc. Sometimes, an s
is added to the end of the verb when it is used in conjunction with a singular noun.
2. Present participle—the verb form used with to be verbs to express ongoing action, e.g., am throwing, is sleeping, are dancing, was sitting, were riding, etc. The suffix -ing is added to the present infinitive and is always
accompanied by a helping verb, forming what is called a verb phrase.
When the verb is acting as an adjective, a helping verb is not required.
3. Past—the verb form that describes actions that happened in the past,
e.g., threw, slept, danced, sat, rode, etc. All regular verbs in past tense end
in -ed. Irregular verbs end in a variety of ways.
4. Past participle—a verb form that must be accompanied by the helping
verb have with the past tense form of the verb (regular or irregular), e.g.,
have thrown, has slept, had danced, have sat, has ridden, etc. When the
verb is acting as an adjective, a helping verb is not required.
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84. 74 Express Review Guides: GRAMMAR
Regular Verbs
Present
Present Participle*
Past
Past Participle**
walk, walks
am walking
walked
have walked
jump, jumps
are jumping
jumped
had jumped
listen, listens
are listening
listened
has listened
Irregular Verbs
Present
Present Participle*
Past
Past Participle**
sing, sings
is singing
sang
has sung
think, thinks
was thinking
thought
have thought
see, sees
were seeing
saw
has seen
Irregular Verbs Whose Form Does Not Change
Present
Present Participle*
Past
Past Participle**
cost, costs
is costing
cost
has cost
cut, cuts
am cutting
cut
have cut
hurt, hurts
are hurting
hurt
has hurt
* Uses am, is, are, was, or were
** Uses have, has, or had
VERB TENSES: CONSIS-TENSE-CY IS THE KEY!
When you speak or write, you help your listeners and readers understand
when something happens, has happened, or will happen using three basic
tenses: present, past, and future. To avoid confusion, you should be consistent with tenses as you speak and write. If your passage begins in past
tense, then continue in past tense; likewise if you are using present or
future. Consistency is the key!
Present Tense—implies present action or action that happens again and
again
I meet my friends every day at school. We have many of the same
classes.
Past Tense—implies that the action already happened
I met them at lunchtime today. We sat at the same table.
