GRAMMAR LESSON

Based on your first essays,Let’s talk about the following:

Run-on SentencesComma Splices

Fragments

Homonyms

Subject verb agreement

Commas

First Let’s Deal with the Sentence

A sentence has a subject and verb

It can stand alone and make sense

Mary sneezed. Some parts of

Mexico are not safe for tourists.

Obama’s healthcare plan was immediately labeled a socialist product.

John and Mary recently divorced.

John and Mary recently divorced and remarried other people.

Before John and Mary divorced, they fought on a daily basis.

John and Mary divorced, but marriage is something they still value.

Two ways sentences can be wrecked!

If you put two sentences together, you have created a run-on sentence:

I enjoy my English class I don’t like writing essays.

If you try separating the sentences with a comma, you’ve created a comma splice.

I like my English class, I don’t like writing essays.

Here are your options:

I enjoy my English class; I don’t like writing essays.

I enjoy my English class; however, I don’t like writing essays.

I enjoy my English class, but I don’t like writing essays.

I enjoy my English class. I don’t like writing essays.

THE OPPOSITE OF WRITING A RUN-ON OR

COMMA SPLICE SENTENCE ISWriting a fragment

Writing a fragment is a serious misstep

Writing a fragment tells the reader that you have not

mastered writing sentences

Let’s discuss why…

What is a Fragment?

Just like the dictionary definition of fragment says, it is just a piece of something; a piece of a whole.

Writing only a piece of a sentence is going to confuse your reader.

The performance presented by the actors in “Facing the Rain.”

What is missing? Both the subject

and verb are missing!

I really enjoyed the performance by the actors in “Facing the Rain.”

Each actor had. What’s missing? Information! What did each

actor have? Each actor had a

compelling story to tell.

Let’s practice.

MOST STUDENTS DON’T MAKE SUCH

BLATANT FRAGMENTS THOUGH…

Here’s how students tend to make fragments:

They are writing their sentence and finish It too quickly with a period.

Then they finish the thought in the next sentence.

Example: there are three main types of college drinkers. The social,

casual, and binge drinker.Which sentence above is a

fragment?

Let’s move onto Homonyms

Homonyms are words that sound alike but are spelled differently:

There, They’re, Their Your, You’re It’s, Its Effect, Affect Whether, Weather Loose, Lose Than, Then Quite, Quiet Accept, Except Let’s practice

Many of you had SVA: Subject Verb Agreement

Problems

A SINGULAR SUBJECT MUST HAVE A SINGULAR VERB

A PLURAL SUBJECT MUST HAVE A PLURAL VERB

John writes in his journal everyday.

Also note: singular pronoun must be used.

Everyone uses his or her favorite deodorant after a shower.

Note: singular pronoun is used.

John and Mary write in their journals everyday.

Also note: plural pronoun must be used.

Most people use their favorite deodorant after a shower.

Note: plural pronoun is used

What do you think is the most misused

punctuation mark?

If you said the comma, you are right!

Here are the basic rules for comma usage:

Separates two sentences using a coordinating conjunction

I enjoy my English class, but I don’t like writing essays.

Separate items in a list

The various types of college drinkers are the social drinkers, the partiers, and the binge drinkers.

More about the Comma:

Sets off a dependent clause added to the beginning of an independent clause:

Even though it is Monday, I’m still glad to be at work!

Because you are my friend, I am going to lend you $100.

Allows an interruption in a sentence:

Gloria, my mother-in-law, is going to babysit my son.

But let’s go back to the other column:

I’m still glad to be at work even though it is Monday.

I am going to lend you $100 because you are my friend.