ACT PREP Rules Wks 8-17

Pronoun useNominative Objective Possessive

Singular I, you, he, she, it

Me, you, him, her, it

My, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its

Plural We, you, they Us, you, them Our, ours, your, yours, their, theirs

Nominative Pronoun use

• These are the pronouns that are usually the subject of a sentence – and they do the action in that sentence. A few examples of these nominative pronouns acting as the subject of a sentence are as follows: 

• I went to the store today.• She talked to her brother on the phone.• You ran five miles yesterday.• They are not very happy about what happened.• We work together as a team.• It is my favorite color.

Pronoun use• NOTE: if you are confused about which

pronoun to use in a compound subject, try each pronoun individually with the verb.• Examples: He will sing the National Anthem.• They will sing the National Anthem tonight.• He and they will sing tonight.

Pronoun use• A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun

that follows a linking verb and renames or explains the subject of the sentence.

• EXAMPLES: The woman on the phone was she. (She renames woman)

• I was afraid it was she on the telephone.• I am looking for to Mr. Jeffers; are you he?

Pronoun use• Objective case:A direct object is a noun or

pronoun that receives the action of the verb.• INCORRECT: Shannon paid Leland and I for

the tickets.• BETTER: Shannon paid Leland and me for the

tickets.• **It wouldn’t make sense to say Shannon paid

I for the tickets, so it is incorrect to use I when paired with Leland.

Indirect Object• Indirect objects tells to whom/ for whom. • Example: Raoul handed me the money.• The object of the preposition should be in the

objective case. The OP is the noun/pronoun that ends a prepositional phrase.

• Example: I wrote the letters (to my parents and her).

Pronoun use• POSSESSIVE: Pronouns that show ownership

• Example: The notebook is mine.• The jet ski is ours.

Pronoun & antecedent• The word to which the pronoun refers is called

its antecedent. In the following sentence, the noun book is the antecedent of the pronoun it.

• Example: Janice handed the book to the librarian so that it could be replaced.

Pronoun & antecedentA pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number and gender.Examples: The boy is looking for his truck

All students will be getting their diplomas.

Pronoun & antecedentTwo or more antecedents joined by and are considered plural; two or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor are singular.Examples: Juan and Julia will present their papers.

Neither Jon nor Ray left his phone.If one is singular and one plural, the pronoun should agree with the closest antecedent.Examples: Neither Mary nor her friends gave up their seat. Will Kelly or Lee type his or her paper?

Pronoun & antecedentNow your turn! Please complete the worksheet(s) over pronoun and antecedent agreement.

Pronouns (Who and Whom)

• To choose the correct form, you must identify the use of the pronoun in the clause. If it is the subject use who; if is is the direct object or object of a prep., use whom.• Examples: Mr. Tilley knows who hit the

homerun. (Use who because it is the subject of the underlined clause.)

• My older brother, to whom I sent the card, is 10. (Use whom because it is the object of the preposition to.

Pronouns (Who and Whom)

• An easy way to determine if a pronoun is correct is to replace who with he and whom with him. If it sounds correct, you have chosen correctly.

• Now your turn! Please complete the worksheet(s) over pronoun use.

Comma Usage I-II• Set off independent clauses in a compound

sentence when they are joined by a coordinating conjunction.• (The planes were delayed by rain), but (they

succeeded in safe takeoffs).

• ***Do NOT use a comma to separate independent and subordinate clauses• I stayed up last night because I wanted to see the

end of the scary movie. (no comma needed)

Comma Usage I-II****NOTE: Compound sentences may be punctuated with a comma and coordinating conjunction or semicolon.

Comma Usage I-IISet off words, phrases, and clauses that are not needed (nonessential). Use commas around nonessential, or contrasting information.

Examples:Intense preparation, then, is known to produce high scores.Robert Frost, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is an amazing poet.Shakespeare, not Marlowe, is my favorite playwright.

Comma Usage I-IINow it’s your turn! Please complete the worksheet(s) over comma use.

Comma Usage III-IVUse a comma after an introductory phrase, clause, and adverb.

Examples: To be able to compete on the collegiate level, many high school athletes practice their sport all year.

If you are counting on a college scholarship, pay attention to your grades.

Occasionally, the person actually responsible for the vandalism will be caught and will pay the damages.

Comma Usage III-IVUse a comma to separate items in a series.

Examples:I selected my Shih Tzu because of her color, her attentiveness and her disposition.Sue was infatuated with the tall, attractive stranger.**Now it’s your turn! Please complete the worksheet(s) over comma use

Semicolon use• Use a semicolon to join independent clauses

in a compound sentence without a coordinating conjunction. (Remember: a coordinating conjunction needs a comma.)• Examples: After winter break, John was happy

to see Mary; Mary was not so happy to see John.

Semicolon use• Use a semicolon to join two independent

clauses joined with a conjunctive adverb.• Example: Seats in the front row are

expensive; however, balcony seats usually cost much less.

Semicolon use• Use a semicolon to join two independent

clauses combined with a transitional expression.

• Examples: Jill would be thrilled to shoot two over par on the front nine of the golf tournament; on the other hand, Tiger Woods would not.

Semicolon use• Use a semicolon to join independent clauses or

items in a series that contain commas.

• Example: The nominees for Sportsman of the Year did not include John Daly, professional golfer; Dennis Rodman, ex-professional basketball player; or John McEnroe, retired professional tennis player

• Now it’s your turn! Please complete the worksheet(s) over semicolon use.

Colon use I-II• Use a colon to set off a summary sentence. A

summary amplifies, restates, explains or emphasizes the meaning of the previous sentence.

• Examples: His explanation for not having his homework was believable: He had had his car towed away with his schoolwork in the back seat.

Colon use I-II• Use a colon to introduce a list following a

complete though (independent clause) or a formal or lengthy quote or appositive.

• Examples: I have three reasons for being angry: my coach, my teacher and my parents.

• He ended his patriotic speech by quoting JFK: “Ask not what your country can do for you…”

• Now it’s your turn! Please complete the following worksheet(s) over colon use.

The dash and apostrophes

• Use a dash or a pair of dashes to show an abrupt change of thought or dramatic effect or to set off an introductory list or series.

• Examples: The dilapidated truck shook and rumbled its way slowly up the hill – it must have been at least thirty years old.

• Suave, debonair, athletic, irreverent – Jose is all of these.

The dash and apostrophes

• Use an apostrophe to show possession and mark omissions in contradictions. (3 rules)

• 1. Use apostrophe and s to singular and plural nouns that do not end in s.

• Jill’s skirt• Hemingway’s novels• Women’s clothes

The dash and apostrophes

• 2. Add only an apostrophe to a plural noun that ends in s.

• Kids’ trophies• Students’ homework• Teachers’ lounge

The dash and apostrophes

• 3. Make both nouns possessive to signal individual possession; make only the final noun possessive to show joint possession.

• Butch’s and Ben’s coats were both dirty. (individual)

• Luann and Mia’s project won. (joint possession)

The dash and apostrophes

• Contractions: Add an apostrophe to indicate letters omitted in contractions.

• Don’t• They’ll• Should’ve

• Now you try! Please complete the worksheet(s) over dash and apostrophe rules.

Dangling & Misplaced modifiers

• Dangling modifiers are modifiers that either appear to modify the wrong word or modify a word that is not included in the sentence. Dangling modifiers can be phrases, clauses or single words.

• Dangling: Walking down the street, the wind blew me over. (sounds like the wind is walking)

• Correct: Walking down the street, I was blown over by the wind.

Dangling & Misplaced modifiers

• Dangling: Melinda heated up the bottle of milk as he cried loudly in the other room. (The phrase doesn’t modify anything in the sentence.)

• Correct: Melinda heated up the bottle of milk for the baby as he cried loudly in the other room.

Dangling & Misplaced modifiers

• Misplaced modifiers are modifiers that have been placed incorrectly; therefore, they appear to modify words that they should not.

• Misplaced: Josh only wanted a hamburger.• Correct: Josh wanted only a hamburger.• Misplaced: The teacher returned the essays

to the students marked with her comments.• Correct: The teacher returned the essays

marked with her comments to the students.

Dangling & Misplaced modifiers

• Now it’s your turn! Please complete the worksheet(s) over dangling and misplaced modifiers.