This is the second of four posts on common grammar errors, omissions, and misunderstandings.
Most writers have grammar issues. The issues chosen for this blog series are some that I experience in my writing. The issue with each issue in the series ranges from significant to bothersome in my writing.
I teach a technical writing class to nurses in the BS-Nursing program at Point Loma Nazarene University. Early versions of the course focused on rules of English grammar. I've shifted the focus to the importance of editing. If you search my past blogs, you'll find LOTS of instruction, information, and insistence on the importance of editing.
The above paragraph does not mean good grammar is not important in your writing. The four blogs in this series present information that I’ve gleaned, remembered or learned about grammar while in the role of a writing teacher. I know that teaching this class helped my writing. I’m running this series--and following it was a series on adverb use/abuse--with high hopes that both series will help your writing, too.
I teach a technical writing class to nurses in the BS-Nursing program at Point Loma Nazarene University. Early versions of the course focused on rules of English grammar. I've shifted the focus to the importance of editing. If you search my past blogs, you'll find LOTS of instruction, information, and insistence on the importance of editing.
The above paragraph does not mean good grammar is not important in your writing. The four blogs in this series present information that I’ve gleaned, remembered or learned about grammar while in the role of a writing teacher. I know that teaching this class helped my writing. I’m running this series--and following it was a series on adverb use/abuse--with high hopes that both series will help your writing, too.
This glimpse begins with
Bonus Tip #1
Accept – to allow into a group or be satisfied with a situation
Except – to exclude something
Nouns
Almost all of us learned that a noun is “the name of a person, place or thing.” Ideas are nouns, too. Here are the rules for making nouns plural:
· The general rule is to add an “s” (cat à cats)
· If the noun ends in –s, -ch, -x, or –z, add “es” (churches, buses)
· If the noun ends in –y, and the “y” follows a consonant drop the “y” and add “ies” (Bunny = Bunnies, Berry = Berries)
· If the noun ends in –y, and the final “y” follows a vowel just add “s” (Monkey à Monkeys)
Know your pronouns!
· Indefinite—many, anybody, all
· Reflexive—myself
· Possessive—theirs, ours, its
· Demonstrative—this/that/those/these
· Interrogative—who/which
· Personal—I, me, she, he
· Intensive—myself
· Relative—who, whatever
· Reciprocal—each other
Bonus Tip!
· That
· Which
Both are relative pronouns, but…
That is restrictive:
It identifies, narrows or specifies. The information is required for the meaning of the sentence to be clear to the reader.
“The house that we toured yesterday was tiny.”
That is restrictive and needs no commas
Which is non-restrictive:
Gives more info about what’s already identified. The information is not required for the meaning of the sentence to be clear to the reader.
“The kitchen floor, which is filthy, needs to be mopped.”
Which is non-restrictive and needs commas.
Memory tool:
Commas, which cut out the fat, go with “which” and never “that.”
Prepositional Phrases
2 essential parts: preposition and a noun or pronoun
3 possible functions: adjective, adverb, noun
The NOUN or PRONOUN is known as the object of the preposition.
What are the prepositional phrases?
<Answers at the end of this post.>
Adjective: The satchel in the hallway was Cameron’s.
Adverb: Jen and Kara went to the Coffee Bean late last night.
Noun: The noise originated outside my house.
Find & Correct Errors
Correct the grammar and punctuation errors in this mixed up paragraph from Tune Up Your Teaching & Turn on Student Learning by Dr. JoAnn Jurchan and Dr. Chuck Downing:
Challenges is a part of a teachers’ life. Situations arise that are perplexing, or frankly just, frustrating. You “cup” at times may be overflowing, and not in a good way. Other times, your “cup” at times may be overflowing with exciting about something new you have learned or a classroom’s successes that you wants to share with others. A new policy or directive may just be the straws that breaks the camels back and you are looking for strategies or methods to help it all make since. Maybe, you want to communicate and collaborate with others that will stretch and assist you move successfully along the novice to expert/master continuum from you’re current location to where you will be most affective. Reading our book was a step in helping you solve any of this situations.
The corrected paragraph is shown after the "signature" of this blog. Compare your “fixes” to what you find there.
Next #amwriting #Grammar 3. Glimpses into Adjectives, and Conjunctions
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E-mail: crd.author@gmail.com
Adjective: The satchel in the hallway was Cameron’s.
Adverb: Jen and Kara went to the Coffee Bean late last night.
Adjective: The satchel in the hallway was Cameron’s.
Adverb: Jen and Kara went to the Coffee Bean late last night.
Noun: The noise originated outside my house.
Challenge is [Note: Challenges are is an acceptable change as well.] a part of a teacher’s life. Situations arise that are perplexing or frankly just frustrating. Your “cup” at times may be overflowing and not in a good way. Other times, your “cup” may be overflowing with excitement about something new you have learned or a classroom success that you want to share with others. A new policy or directive may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and you are looking for strategies or methods to help it all make sense. Maybe you want to communicate and collaborate with others who will stretch and assist you move successfully along the novice to expert/master continuum from your current location to where you will be most effective. Reading our book was a step in helping you resolve any of these situations.
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