Grammar Review and Resources
Refer to Chapter 15: Grammar and Language Review (pages 132-145) in For Our Students
As I grade your papers this semester, I am required by the English department to deduct points for specific grammar errors. This page will serve as a resource page on grammar for the entire semester. It defines the major and minor errors, explains how to fix them, and offers resources such as PowerPoints and web links to help you learn more and practice. You will have grammar exercises for several weeks during the semester, so I recommend that you visit this page often.
- Major errors result in a letter grade deduction for each occurrence. They include: subject-verb agreement errors, comma splices, fused sentences (also called run-ons), fragments, and verb tense/form errors.
- Minor errors can add up to major errors if they occur frequently in the essay. These errors include: punctuation errors, plural/possessive confusion, misuse of pronouns, pronoun-antecedent disagreement, shifts in verb tense, spelling errors, word confusion/choice errors, and shifts in person.
In the section below, you will find an explanation of each type of error, along with links to more detailed PowerPoints, videos, and handouts. Before going on to the Grammar Assignment for Week 1, you should review the major errors and print out a copy of the Guide to Errors
Download Guide to Errors handout.
Guide to Major Errors
Note: Each major error results in a letter grade deduction on essays.
1. A comma splice incorrectly joins two or more sentences with just a comma.
Example: The weather looks better today, it was snowing yesterday
To correct this error, use one of the following methods: a) separate the two sentences with a period or a semicolon; b) add an appropriate FANBOY coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so); or add a subordinating conjunction (such as: although, when, because, before, since. These are just a few examples. Please see the PowerPoint on comma splices and fused sentences for a longer list).
Corrected Examples: The weather looks better today; it was snowing yesterday.
The weather looks better today. It was snowing yesterday.
The weather looks better today, but it was snowing yesterday.
Although the weather looks better today, it was snowing yesterday.
2. A fused sentence/run-on joins two sentences with no punctuation at all.
Example: The weather looks better today it was snowing yesterday
To correct this error, use the same means that you use for correcting the comma splice.
PowerPoint on Comma Splices and Fused Sentences Download PowerPoint on Comma Splices and Fused Sentences (Here is a PDF version Download PDF version, which can be read in the free program Adobe Acrobat Reader Links to an external site.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQfJdhyeQfU
Links to an external site.
3. A sentence fragment occurs when you punctuate a group of words as though that group formed a sentence. A sentence fragment does not express a complete thought.
Example: I wanted to go to the movie on Friday night. Because it had received excellent ratings.
There are two ways to correct this error. 1) Attach the fragment to the previous sentence or to the sentence that comes after the fragment. 2) Rewrite the fragment so that it is a complete sentence.
Corrected Examples:
I wanted to go to the movie on Friday night because it had received excellent ratings.
Because it had received excellent ratings, the movie caught my attention.
The movie received excellent ratings.
PowerPoint on Fragments Download PowerPoint on Fragments (PDF version Download PDF version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Wcr4Wgf7U
Links to an external site.
4. A subject-verb disagreement error occurs when you leave the –s off the noun or verb in a sentence, or it may occur when you do not follow specific subject-verb agreement rules.
Examples: She like many fruits, such as apples, oranges, and peaches.
The purpose of his speeches were to win votes.
Neither the twins nor their cousin are coming to the party.
In order to correct this error, you must know that singular subjects take singular verbs and plural subjects take plural verbs. Singular verbs have an –s on the end. You must also learn some specific subject-verb agreement rules.
Corrected Examples: She likes many fruits, such as apples, oranges, and peaches.
The purpose of his speeches was to win votes.
Neither the twins nor their cousin is coming to the party.
PowerPoint on Subject-Verb Agreement
Download PowerPoint on Subject-Verb Agreement (PDF version
Download PDF version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0emlVxINBUk
Links to an external site.
5. Verb Errors occur in a variety of ways. The two most common kinds of verb errors are mistakes in verb form and verb tense, both of which are explained below.
a. Verb form errors occur when you use a form of the verb that does not exist in standard American English. You could make this error by mixing parts of different tenses of a verb or by leaving out one or more parts of a verb, such as the auxiliary (helping) verb(s).
Examples: The runners have ran a good race.
She dating him.
Correcting this error requires that you learn the standard American English forms and tenses of regular and irregular verbs.
Corrected Examples: The runners have run a good race.
She is dating him. She was dating him. She still dates him.
Rules for Irregular Verbs (from the Grammar Bytes website)
Links to an external site.
If you want a laugh...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNaDvAYC0Jw#t=33
Links to an external site.
b. Verb tense errors occur when you mistakenly use one verb tense instead of another, or they may occur when you use an incorrect verb form for a certain verb tense. Verb tense errors often occur when a writer forgets to put a –d or –ed at the end of a verb to form the past tense. Note: Verb tense errors can also lead to subject-verb disagreement errors.
Examples: She help me with my homework all day yesterday.
I seen him last week.
Correcting this error requires that you learn the standard American English tenses and forms of regular and irregular verbs
Corrected Examples: She helped me with my homework all day yesterday.
I saw him last week.
PowerPoint on Verbs
Download PowerPoint on Verbs (PDF version
Download PDF version)
Link
Links to an external site.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQaC5_owPng
Links to an external site.
Guide to Minor Errors
1. Incorrect punctuation errors occur when you do one or more of the following things: 1) leave out a necessary punctuation mark, 2) include an unnecessary punctuation mark, 3) put an incorrect punctuation mark in the place of the correct mark, or 4) misplace a punctuation mark.
Examples: Even though my test is tomorrow I haven’t studied yet.
Grammar homework, is boring to me.
Is grammar homework boring to you.
Grammar homework is boring but, it is necessary to pass the class.
To correct these errors, please be sure to read over your work carefully and to know the rules concerning the specific uses of different punctuation marks. Commas, colons, semicolons, and dashes can be particularly tricky.
Corrected Examples: Even though my test is tomorrow,I haven’t studied yet.
Grammar homework is boring to me.
Is grammar homework boring to you?
Grammar homework is boring, but it is necessary to pass the class.
The Guide to Grammar and Writing: Punctuation Tree
Links to an external site.
2. Incorrect plural and possessive forms appear when you leave out an apostrophe or when you include an unnecessary apostrophe. Plural means “more than one.” Possessive means “to show ownership.”
Examples: Janes essay is fantastic.
Her essays main points are interesting and based on sound research.
Jane and her brother are naturally talented writer’s.
The cat destroyed it’s two owner’s shirts.
In order to correct these errors, learn the following rules:
a. The plural form of most nouns ends in –s or –es. boy --> boys leaf --> leaves
b. The possessive form of most nouns has an apostrophe and an –s at the end of the noun.
one boy’s shirt one leaf’s color
c. To make plural nouns possessive, add an apostrophe after the –s at the end of the noun.
two boys’ shirts all the leaves’ colors
d. If the plural form does not have an –s or –es at the end, add an apostrophe and then an –s
children’s shirts
e. The exception to the rule is the word “it.” It’s = it is Its = possessive
Corrected Examples: Jane’s essay is fantastic.
Her essay’s main points are fascinating.
Jane and her brother are naturally talented writers.
The cat destroyed its two owners’ shirts.
Link
Links to an external site.Link
Links to an external site.
3. The misuse of pronouns occurs when you use the incorrect form of a pronoun or when you use a pronoun form that does not exist in standard American English.
Examples: Me and him do not work well together.
They drove theirselves to the party.
My son dressed hisself this morning.
To correct this error, learn which pronoun forms should be used as subjects and which forms should be used as objects (either of a verb or of a phrase). Also, learn which pronoun forms may not be used in standard American English.
Corrected Examples: He and I do not work well together.
They drove themselves to the party.
My son dressed himself this morning.
The Guide to Grammar and Writing: Cases of Nouns and Pronouns
Links to an external site.
4. Pronoun-antecedent disagreement errors occur when the pronouns in your sentences do not agree with their antecedents (antecedent = the word the pronoun stands for) in number or gender. This error often occurs when you use indefinite pronouns, which refer to unknown or unspecific nouns.
Examples: Some coaches think screaming at a player will make them better.
Everybody wants to make an A in their English Composition class.
One of the parks needs their merry-go-round repaired.
None of the pies were bought. It didn’t have enough sugar.
To correct this error, you must learn which indefinite pronouns are singular, which are plural, and which ones may be singular or plural depending on the case.
Indefinite pronouns that are always singular: one, anyone, everyone, someone, nobody, anybody, everybody, somebody, each, either, neither
Indefinite pronouns that are always plural: few, many, several, both
Indefinite pronouns that may be either singular or plural: all, most, none, some
Corrected Examples: Some coaches think screaming at a player will make him better.
Everybody wants to make an A in his/her English Composition I class.
One of the parks needs its merry-go-round repaired.
None of the pies were bought. They didn’t have enough sugar.
Pronoun Agreement Rules on the Grammar Bytes website
Links to an external site.
Pronoun Reference Rules on the Grammar Bytes website
Links to an external site.
5. A shift in verb tense occurs when the verbs in your sentence(s) switch from one tense to another.
Example: The movie started just as we take our seats. (This sentence begins in the past tense, but it switches to the present tense.)
To correct this error, please read your work carefully to be sure that your verbs remain in the same tense. Unless the events discussed in your paragraphs and essays change in time, your verbs should not switch tenses.
Corrected Example: The movie starts just as we take our seats. (present tense)
The movie started just as we took our seats. (past tense)
6. A shift in person occurs when you change the point of view in your writing.
Example: I discovered that you could touch some of the museum exhibits.
To correct his error, make sure to refer to yourself, your audience, and the people you are writing about in a consistent manner. Please note that you will NEVER use ANY form of the word “you” in your writing unless I specifically direct you to do so.
Corrected Example: I discovered that I could touch some of the museum exhibits.
7. Word choice or word confusion errors occur when you use a word incorrectly in a sentence. This error often occurs with homonyms, which are words that sound alike but are spelled differently. This error also occurs when you use slang in your writing.
Examples: Their driving to the beach this weekend.
“The Lottery” is a really cool story.
To correct this error, you should learn the different spellings of common homonyms and make sure that you use formal language in all your academic writing.
Corrected Examples: They’re driving to the beach this weekend.
“The Lottery” is a very interesting story.
The Guide to Grammar and Writing: Notorious Confusables
Links to an external site.
8. Spelling errors are self-explanatory. Use your dictionary, and don’t just rely on the spellchecker.
Grammar Handouts - Please print the handouts out for easy reference.
Guide to Errors
Download Guide to Errors - This handout is a copy of the explanations above. Please print a copy for your notebook!
Clauses and Sentences Download Clauses and Sentences - This handout explains the different types of sentences and how to write them.
Combining Clauses Download Combining Clauses - Clauses are groups of words with a sentence and a verb. This handout explains the different ways to correctly combine clauses.
Conjunctions by Usage Download Conjunctions by Usage - This handout explains the different types of conjunctions and how to use them correctly.
Rules for Using -D and -ED Endings Download Rules for Using -D and -ED Endings - This handout explains when to use -d and -ed endings.
Sentence Structures Download Sentence Structures - This handout explains the four sentence structures: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.
Useful Grammar Websites for Practice
Exercise Central Links to an external site.*You will use Exercise Central to complete several grammar assignments.
Grammar Bytes
Links to an external site.*Grammar Bytes features handouts, interactive exercises (with the answers), and videos.
The Guide to Grammar and Writing Links to an external site. contains a vast collection of explanations and quizzes.
Hinds Community College Grammar Safari
Links to an external site.
*This is the website for the Hinds Writing Center. It contains handouts, Word copies of exercises and answer keys, and PowerPoints.
Purdue OWL (Mechanics)
Links to an external site. - The Purdue OWL website contains a wide variety of resources on academic writing. This particular page focuses on grammar concerns.