Grammar for Life

1. Grammar for Life Rules and Examples

2. Master Your Modifiers • Definition: A modifier is a word or group of words that modifies, or describes, another word or group of words in a sentence. A modifier should always appear next to the word or words it modifies. • Incorrect Example: Smothered in gravy, Derek ate his turkey. • Correct Example: • Option 1: Derek ate his turkey, which was smothered in gravy. • Option 2: Derek ate his smothered in gravy turkey.

3. Vary Your Sentences • Concept: Varying Sentences - Varying sentences spices up your writing and keeps things interesting without ever boring your reader. To do so, follow the instructions below. • Rule: To vary a sentence, put an adverb in the beginning of the sentence, rather than anywhere else. • Example of Incorrect Usage: I tiptoed quietly down the stairs to quench my thirst at three in the morning. • Example of Correct Usage: Quietly, I tiptoed down the stairs to quench my thirst at three in the morning.

4. Concept: Vary Your Sentences Rule: Move a prepositional phrase to the beginning of a sentence so the sentence does not sound awkward. Incorrect: Sally takes a ballet class at the end of each week. Correct: At the end of each week, Sally takes a ballet class.

5. Vary Your Sentences You can form a compound sentence by linking two regular sentences together. You can use the following words to join sentences: FANBOY – for, and, nor, but, or, your -also, however, although, therefore, and. Ex: Incorrect: My brownie was delicious, I ate it all. Correct: My brownie was delicious, therefore, I ate it all.

6. Vary Your Sentences- Rule # 4 • Rule # 4: Combine two or more sentences by placing the clause in the middle of one of the sentences: Incorrect Example: Jasmine loves to eat chicken. She is fat and lazy. Correct Example: Jasmine, my fat lazy cat, loves to eat chicken. By: Emily Del Villar and Charlotte Atkinson

7. Redundancy • Rule: Do not use unnecasary repitition in your writing to keep it clear and effective. • Definition: The use of words or data that could be omitted without loss of meaning or function; repetition or overlapping, especially of words. • Incorrect: We have to go to soccer at 2:55 P.M., after school, after our classes are over. • Correct: We have to go to soccer at 2:55 P.M., after school.

8. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off words or phrases that are not essential elements to the sentence. Incorrect: Suzy my friend went to the mall to buy a new outfit for the first day of school. Correct: Suzy,my friend, went to the mall to buy a new outfit for the first day of school. Comma Sense

9. Comma Sense Rule: Use commas to separate items in a series of three or more things. Incorrect: When I make an ice cream Sunday I make sure to put on sprinkles cherry’s chocolate syrup and whip cream. Correct: When I make an ice cream Sunday I make sure to put on, sprinkles, cherry’s ,chocolate syrup, and whip cream.