Preface and Acknowledgments About the Authors Introduction Chapter 1: Grammar Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Definitions Noun Verb Subject Gerund Using verbs to find subjects Multiple subjects and verbs in a sentence Infinitives You as an understood subject Subject-Verb Agreement Singular vs. plural verbs Finding subjects before phrases beginning with of With or, either/or, and neither/nor Two singular subjects One singular and one plural subject With and With interrupting expressions With here or there With distances, periods of time, sums of money, etc. With portion words such as a lot, a majority, percent, some, all With collective nouns such as group, family, staff The subjunctive mood Irregular Verbs Clauses and Phrases Definitions Clause Independent clause Dependent clause Phrase Pronouns Definition: Pronoun Subject pronouns As the subject of the sentence Renaming the subject When who refers to a personal pronoun Object pronouns Subject and verb agreement with who, that, and which Subject and verb agreement with anyone, someone, each, etc. Following than or as Possessive pronouns Its vs. it’s; who’s vs. whose Reflexives: the -self pronouns Consistency with singular pronouns The singular they Pronouns linked with nouns by and Possessive adjectives vs. possessive pronouns Who vs. Whom They/Them method Common whom pitfall Whoever vs. Whomever Agreement with the verb in the dependent clause Dependent clause as the subject of the verb following the clause Who, That, Which Who, that, and which with people, groups, and things That with essential clauses Which with nonessential clauses When which can be used with essential clauses Adjectives and Adverbs Definitions Adjective Adverb Adjectives modifying nouns and pronouns Adverbs modifying verbs, adjectives, and adverbs When to add -ly Sense verbs: taste, smell, look, feel, etc. Good vs. well Well as an adjective when referring to health Comparisons, such as -er vs. -est and more vs. most This, that, these, and those Prepositions Definition: preposition Ending a sentence with a preposition Avoiding extra prepositions Like As, as if, as though, the way Of vs. have Different from vs. different than In vs. into Effective Writing Concrete vs. vague language Active vs. passive voice Overuse of there is, there are, it is, it was, etc. Double negatives Parallel construction Dangling modifiers Misplaced modifiers Fragments Dialogue Chapter 2: Punctuation Spacing with Punctuation Periods With complete sentences With abbreviations at the end of a sentence Replacing periods with question marks and exclamation points Commas To separate three or more items To separate adjectives With two independent clauses Run-on sentences or comma splices Joined by connectors such as and, or, but, etc. When the subject does not appear in front of the second verb With because Starting a sentence with a dependent clause vs. an independent clause With nonessential words, clauses, and phrases With sufficiently identified noun With introductory words To set off interrupting expressions With names With dates With city and state With Jr. and Sr. With degrees and titles With quotations To introduce or interrupt quotations Following quotations To separate statements from questions To separate contrasting parts of a sentence With certain introductory words When followed by a series of items When the series of items ends with etc. Semicolons To replace a period in two closely linked sentences With such words as namely, however, therefore, etc., when they introduce a complete sentence To avoid confusion where commas already exist With sentences that have multiple clauses Capitalization following a semicolon Colons To introduce a series of items Except when a series of items directly follows a verb or preposition With lists With two independent clauses when the second explains the first Capitalization following a colon With long quotations After the salutation in a business letter Quotation Marks Use of double quotation marks Capitalization with quotations Commas introducing, interrupting, and ending quotations Periods and commas ALWAYS inside quotation marks Question marks and exclamation marks with quotation marks follow logic With titles of magazines, books, plays, etc. Use of single quotation marks for quotations within quotations Spacing between single and double quotation marks With nonstandard expressions With technical terms and terms used in an unusual way Avoiding single quotation marks With quoted material of more than one paragraph Question Marks With direct questions Replacing periods Capitalization following a question mark Indirect questions Rhetorical questions With sentences that are half statement and half question With quotation marks Parentheses and Brackets Not interchangeable Parentheses For clarification and asides With complete sentences Punctuation inside and outside parentheses Subject-verb agreement Comma placement with parentheses Brackets With interruptions Use of [sic] With quotations Apostrophes Singular nouns Possession with singular nouns Possession with common nouns ending in s Possession with proper nouns ending in s Possession by inanimate objects Plural nouns Plural possession with regular nouns No apostrophe with plural regular nouns Plural possession with irregular nouns Plural possession with names ending in s No apostrophe with plural names Possession with singular compound nouns To show joint or separate possession Contractions With initials, capital letters, and numbers used as nouns With time or money With personal pronouns Apostrophes vs. single quotation marks False possessives With nouns ending in y Hyphens No spaces around hyphens Not the same as dashes Hyphens between words With compound adjectives Suspended hyphens With compound verbs With compound nouns With very and -ly adverbs With ages For clarification With spans of time, distance, or other quantities With units, abbreviations, or symbols With compound numbers With spelled-out fractions With double last names Avoiding overuse Proper nouns of more than one word as compound adjectives Well-known expressions Look it up Hyphens with prefixes and suffixes Prefixes with proper nouns or proper adjectives With family relations Prefixes with double vowels With self-, ex-, and all- With re- To avoid confusion Suffixes not usually hyphenated Suffixes and double letters Using discretion and a dictionary Dashes Em dashes Em dashes and subject agreement In place of other punctuation Spacing En dashes With number ranges With open compound adjectives Forming dashes Ellipses Definition and three-dot method Spacing With omitted words or sentences To express hesitation, changes of mood, etc. Exclamation Points To show emotion, emphasis, or surprise Replacing periods and mid-sentence commas Avoidance in formal business writing Justifiable use Slashes Technical term: virgule In formal writing use hyphen or the word or Chapter 3: Capitalization First word of a document and after a period Proper nouns and adjectives derived from proper nouns Reference list of capitalized categories Reference list of lowercase categories Thorny aspects of capitalization Titles Titles vs. occupations Titles in direct address Kinship names Nicknames Geographic regions vs. points of the compass The before proper nouns City, town, county, etc., before a proper name First word of a quotation Midsentence independent clauses or questions Course titles vs. academic subjects Art movements Lists following colons Lowercase the national anthem Titles of books, plays, films, songs, etc. Subtitles Gray areas Chapter 4: Writing Numbers Using figures vs. spelling out numbers Numbers beginning a sentence Hyphenating compound numbers Hyphenating fractions Figures of four or more digits Sums less than a dollar Noon and midnight Time of day Mixed fractions Large numbers Decimals Writing out numbers of three or more digits When to use and Do not use commas Dates Decades Use lowercase when spelling out Using apostrophes with incomplete numerals Avoiding apostrophe + s with complete numerals Apostrophes with numbers Chapter 5: Confusing Words and Homonyms Good vs. well Imply vs. infer Its vs. it’s Lay vs. lie Their vs. there vs. they’re Hundreds more words and homonyms that perplex and confound Chapter 6: Quizzes Grammar Pretest Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 1 Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 2 Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 1 Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 2 Irregular Verbs Quiz 1 Irregular Verbs Quiz 2 Pronouns Quiz 1 Pronouns Quiz 2 Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 1 Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 2 Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 1 Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 2 Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 1 Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 2 Prepositions Quiz 1 Prepositions Quiz 2 Affect vs. Effect Quiz 1 Affect vs. Effect Quiz 2 Lay vs. Lie Quiz 1 Lay vs. Lie Quiz 2 Advice vs. Advise Quiz 1 Advice vs. Advise Quiz 2 Their vs. There vs. They're Quiz 1 Their vs. There vs. They're Quiz 2 More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 1 More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 2 Effective Writing Quiz 1 Effective Writing Quiz 2 Grammar Mastery Test Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Pretest Commas and Periods Quiz 1 Commas and Periods Quiz 2 Semicolons and Colons Quiz 1 Semicolons and Colons Quiz 2 Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 1 Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 2 Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 1 Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 2 Apostrophes Quiz 1 Apostrophes Quiz 2 Hyphens Between Words Quiz 1 Hyphens Between Words Quiz 2 Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 1 Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 2 Capitalization Quiz 1 Capitalization Quiz 2 Writing Numbers Quiz 1 Writing Numbers Quiz 2 Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Mastery Test Chapter 7: Answers to Quizzes Grammar Pretest Answers Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 1 Answers Finding Nouns, Verbs, and Subjects Quiz 2 Answers Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 1 Answers Subject and Verb Agreement Quiz 2 Answers Irregular Verbs Quiz 1 Answers Irregular Verbs Quiz 2 Answers Pronouns Quiz 1 Answers Pronouns Quiz 2 Answers Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 1 Answers Who, Whom, Whoever, Whomever Quiz 2 Answers Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 1 Answers Who, Whom, That, Which Quiz 2 Answers Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 1 Answers Adjectives and Adverbs Quiz 2 Answers Prepositions Quiz 1 Answers Prepositions Quiz 2 Answers Affect vs. Effect Quiz 1 Answers Affect vs. Effect Quiz 2 Answers Lay vs. Lie Quiz 1 Answers Lay vs. Lie Quiz 2 Answers Advice vs. Advise Quiz 1 Answers Advice vs. Advise Quiz 2 Answers Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 1 Answers Their vs. There vs. They’re Quiz 2 Answers More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 1 Answers More Confusing Words and Homonyms Quiz 2 Answers Effective Writing Quiz 1 Answers Effective Writing Quiz 2 Answers Grammar Mastery Test Answers Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Pretest Answers Commas and Periods Quiz 1 Answers Commas and Periods Quiz 2 Answers Semicolons and Colons Quiz 1 Answers Semicolons and Colons Quiz 2 Answers Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 1 Answers Question Marks and Quotation Marks Quiz 2 Answers Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 1 Answers Parentheses and Brackets Quiz 2 Answers Apostrophes Quiz 1 Answers Apostrophes Quiz 2 Answers Hyphens Between Words Quiz 1 Answers Hyphens Between Words Quiz 2 Answers Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 1 Answers Hyphens with Prefixes and Suffixes Quiz 2 Answers Capitalization Quiz 1 Answers Capitalization Quiz 2 Answers Writing Numbers Quiz 1 Answers Writing Numbers Quiz 2 Answers Punctuation, Capitalization, and Writing Numbers Mastery Test Answers Index