Grammar Nightmares!

1. Grammar Nightmares! Easy fixes for GCSE writing

2. Ok, so you are clever and ready to hit the big guys where it hurts…

3. But you need to be careful about details in order to get those top grades. Don’t give the examiners an excuse to take marks away! Your punctuation and grammar is naff. You don’t get to keep the A*. Ha, ha, ha…

4. Know your punctuation! • A capital letter and full stop for each sentence unless you are using an exclamation or question mark. • Use speech marks for speech and a new line for each speaker. • Don’t overuse exclamation marks – they can be effective but deadly when they are sprinkled throughout your work.

5. A colon introduces a list or information. • A semi-colon can separate items in a list or act as a connective between two independent clauses. • A comma can separate items in a list, insert information and can join an independent clause to a dependent clause. • Brackets can be used to insert information. • A dash can be used to add information. • A hyphen joins two words that help to make their meaning clearer.

6. Make sure you know what you are doing with punctuation! Don’t be too proud to check your understanding about how punctuation is used BEFORE you sit your exams! Errr, so what is a clause…?

7. A clause is a group of words with a subject and a predicate – that means it says something about the subject. An independent clause is a complete thought; a dependent clause cannot stand alone – it is an incomplete thought. It is just a sentence with attitude!

8. The Comma • Insert information: I have heard, from a reliable source, that Mr Jones enjoys hobnobs with his tea. • Joins together a dependent clause to an independent clause: On the other hand, Mrs Murphy prefers fig rolls. • Separates items in a list: Mr Starr enjoys hobnobs, fig rolls, bourbons, creams, chocolate digestives and jammy dodgers.

9. Comma splicing! This is a mistake committed by a lot of people. It is when a comma is used to join together two independent clauses: It was raining hard, the water soaked my coat. If you can make sense of both sides of the comma, it is in the WRONG place…

10. How to fix a comma splice. • Take it out and use a connective. • Make it into a semi-colon. • Make two sentences by replacing it with a full stop.

11. For example: WRONG The day was just beginning, I could see the sun rising over the mountains. • The day was just beginning because I could see the sun rising over the mountains. • The day was just beginning; I could see the sun rising over the mountains. • The day was just beginning. I could see the sun rising over the mountains.

12. Apostrophe hello… • There are only 2 times you will use an apostrophe but you must get it right. • When you are leaving letters out of a word: you are = you’re • When something belongs to something else: …the cat’s whiskers. The exception is its because it gets confused with: it is = it’s

13. There is no such word as alot! It is TWO words: a lot

14. ‘Of’ never, ever, ever, ever follows would, could, should, might, or may • The word you need is: HAVE If I had hit that fly with this hammer, I would have hurt my nose.

15. Don’t be afraid to check what you know and find out about grammar rules you aren’t sure about. Good luck and keep revising the details!