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- Separate items in a list. Optional before and (be consistent
with your choice).
- Ex: We will eat turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.
- Join two or more independent clauses into a compound sentence.
Must be used with a conjunction like and, but,
yet, for, and so.
- Ex: Becky was startled by the noise, and she ran outside
to see what was the matter.
- Set off non-restrictive clauses that begin with which, who,
whom, and whose.
- Ex: The report, which was well documented, was discussed
with considerable emotions
- Be careful: The report that the committee submitted was
well documented.
- Also: My sister, who lives in Idaho, came for a visit.
(your only sister-- non-restrictive)
My sister who lives in Idaho came for a visit. (one
of two sisters in two different states--restrictive)
- Set off long, dependent introductory elements.
- Ex: Frightened by the movie, Becky couldn't sleep.
Although he would have preferred not to, Paul drove us home.
- Set off parenthetical statements, interjections, and transitional elements.
- Ex: O.J. Simpson, many believed, was guilty of his wife's murder.
Well, I have got to get going.
We shall, however, return to this issue at a later date.
- Set off appositives--nouns or phrases that add information about the preceding
noun.
- Ex: My husband, David, wrote a letter to our congressman.
His second novel, a detective story with psychological overtones, was
influenced by the work of Dostoyevski.
- Be careful: My son Michael was the first to arrive. (one of two or more)
O'Neill's play Anna Christie was revived on Broadway.
- Set off quotations.
- Ellen shouted, "You'll never get away with this!"
- Join independent clauses without a conjunction.
- Ex: She seemed a little old-fashioned; I noticed that her shirt was out of
style and her faded jeans flared at the knees.
- Be careful with conjunctive adverbs: Jane knew that she was overweight;
nevertheless, she ate two banana splits for desert.
- Separate items in a list that are long and complex or involve internal punctuation.
- Ex: Where were you on the nights of December 28, 1998; December 31,
1998; and January 2, 1999?
- Direct the reader's attention to what follows, whether it is a list or a phrase.
- Emphasis!
- Ex: Listen carefully: your teacher will not accept late homework. The grocery list read as follows: milk, butter, eggs, and bread.
- Set off explanatory details. Separate an opening list from a complete statement.
- Ex: Tom, Ralph, and Glenn--these were my true friends.
- Set off explanatory details. Separate an explanation that interrupts between a
subject and a verb.
- Ex: The two brothers--supposedly his best friends--were to stand guard at
the cave entrance.
- Mark the end of a declarative or an imperative sentence.
- Ex: I like amusement parks.
You must finish the test within 45 minutes.
Add correct punctuation where necessary. Not all sentences need punctuation. Some need more than one punctuation mark.
- The two men quickly bolted the door but the intruder had already entered through the window.
- Before penicillin and other antibiotics were developed pneumonia was fatal.
- Penn State after all is a world-class University.
- The canned goods beans, potatoes, and peas were in the back seat.
- Three vegetables have an undeserved reputation for being fattening potatoes asparagus
and summer squash.
- Climbing can be a dangerous hobby consequently one should never go climbing alone.
- "No" Mark said "I don't want to go."
- The Nittany Lion Penn State's mascot is a familiar feature at many sporting events.
- I want you to remember one thing I did not steal your car.
- Yes times have changed.
- The coach can't play the game she can only instruct and encourage.
- The man wearing the white rose is the bridegroom
- You have therefore no reason to leave town.
- The second robber who served as lookout got away.
- The festival will open with the following films Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction
- Singular pronouns: him, her, he, she, it, anyone, anything, each, either,
everyone, everything, neither, no one, nothing, what, whatever, whoever.
- Plural pronouns: they, them, those, these, few, people, both, the rest.
- Collective nouns: audience, class, group, gang, crowd, troupe. These use
singular verbs.
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
- The class (look) to the teacher for guidance.
- Anyone who (wish) to attend may buy tickets at the Eisenhower Box Office.
- Neither Jeff nor Jessica (want) to go to the party.
- The first two problems are difficult, but the rest (be) easy.
- Either of these buses (go) past the University.
Revise the following sentences to make them more understandable.
- My neighbor serves beets to her kids, but she doesn't like them.
- Jane asked Mrs. Simon about her father's illness, which led to an awkward silence.
Balances two or more similar words, phrases, or clauses to add smoothness and
clarity to a sentence.
- Ex: I like to run, to ski, and to dance.
I like running, skiing, and dancing.
Lucky Chamis features yellow,stars, purple horseshoes, and red balloons.
Revise the following sentences to contain parallel structure.
- College students are too often influenced by the desires of their parents, grades, and their friends.
- He was a good provider, a good husband, and he was also a good friend.
- Alice is interested in many professions such as medicine, being a teacher, and journalism.
Adds clarity and forcefulness to a sentence. Omits needless words.
- Ex: Passive--The piano is played by Mary.
Active--Mary plays the piano.
Change the following sentences from passive to active voice.
- A gun was lifted, a step was taken forward, and he tumbled down the stairs, cursing.
- It is recommended that the position be filled by a woman.
- The constitution was completely rewritten by the Board of Directors.
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