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
